Never Forgotten--Update From 1999

Flashback to 1999: TOP returned the clothing personal effect belonging to killed-in-action soldier, Marine Captain Willard Dale Marshall's surviving family. The item had been given to TOP by Captain Marshall's former Vietnamese interpreter, Mr. Le Sinh, who was with him at the time of death. The original 1999 story with photograph may be found at: http://topvietnamveterans.org/p-pe.html.

Recent Update: We thank Steve Lovejoy, who relayed about a recent visit with Mr. Le Sinh. Mr. Sinh, provided additional information to his TOP 1999 account surrounding the death of Captain Marshall and their special friendship.

Mr. Sinh elaborated to say that a friendship bond formed after Captain Marshall saved Sinh's life: During one conflict, Captain Marshall knocked him down, as shots were fired--one of which creased the top of Sinh's head. Mr. Sinh still bears the scar, which he revealed. According to Le Sinh, Marshall had prevented him from being shot and that event drew him very close to the Marine Captain.

When Captain Marshall was fatally injured, Sinh held his friend in his arms as he died. Another detail, not previously mentioned, was that Mr. Sinh recounted Marshall opened his eyes wide and looked into his eyes and said "Sinh, help me." Mr. Sinh said tearfully that he cried because he could not save his good friend, who had once saved his life.

Also, Mr. Sinh asked the military if Captain Marshall’s poncho would be given to him, as a remembrance; they agreed. Le Sinh placed the poncho in a sand bag, kept it for many years and would eventually turn it over to TOP for its ultimately successful return to the Marshall family (along with the sandbag).

Mr. Sinh said that every night he dreamed of Marshall opening his eyes wide and looking at him and saying "Sinh, help me." Upon return of the poncho to Marshall's widow & son, it gave him peace and Sinh no longer dreamed of Marshall. As was the case in 1999, 11 years later in 2010, Mr. Sinh still continues to remember his good friend and think of him every day.

Poignantly, Mr. Sinh has a photocopy of a rubbing of Marshall's name from the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington DC. He called Marshall his “brother.”

Updated Personal Effects List

Cleaning Dog Tags and Recent Returns

TOP recently returned from our last trip with more personal effects. We have an updated Dog Tag List for your perusal.

Many of these artifacts reflect the harsh environment they have been in these past decades.

TOP's policy is to endeavor to return the effects as they are found. However, this may not always be possible (see our example in this post).

When dog tags are unrecognizable, it is especially important to glean enough data in order to be able to identify the service member and have the information necessary for either surviving family or Vietnam veterans to verify and confirm a match.

The first step, when dealing with tags corroded by rust, dirt and other elements, may be to carefully hand clean the tag with gentle tools. If that does still does not yield data, then we use a sonic cleaner, similar to what professional jewelers use. In severe cases, tags are thoroughly sonically cleaned on both sides, as many times as necessary. The cleaning, yet preserving the integrity of the tag can be time consuming and challenging.

Many tags are so fragile that they are almost paper-thin and can break in two with the slightest pressure. These tags are identified with instructions on handling.

There are some cases where the information and data is unrecognizable, even after the careful & gentle cleaning processes. In these cases, the information on our database may rarely be questionable.

The results though of returning the dog tags are unquestionable! As evidenced by the responses of recipients, such as Vietnam veteran, Samuel Barton, who after receiving his lost dog tag wrote TOP, "Words cannot describe my appreciation of your efforts to bring closure to our Vietnam experience,THANK YOU,THANK YOU! Did I say THANK YOU for the return of my lost Tag?!”

Importantly, last month TOP returned the dog tag of KIA Vietnam soldier, Roger Buren Propst, to his namesake, Roger Buren Propst Jr., who said to us afterward, "I just wanted to say thank you for getting my Father's dog tag to me. I cannot tell you how incredible it was to receive that. It is so nice to have a piece of my Dad."

Likewise, in return, we are grateful for the sacrifices of our veterans and surviving family members: Thank you!

Now, we have updated our recent Personal Effects (Dog Tag) list to include our recent finds in Vietnam. Please take time to look it over and try to find the names of loved one's, friends, those you served with . . . perhaps our Vietnam veterans will find their own names at:

http://www.topvietnamveterans.org/dog-tags/Tags-7-17-09.pdf

Good luck and thank you in advance for please helping us to return these lost treasures to those of whom they belong to.