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Joe contacted me to ask me to share Fred's story.
I was in Vietnam with Frederick Thomas West for my first month there and we quickly became buddies. We patrolled the villages of Vietnam as we were engaged in numerous battles and firefights. On the morning of April 21, 1967 we were called out to help another Marine unit who were in a battle with a large enemy force and had 45 to 50 Marines either killed or wounded stranded in an open rice paddy. As we were dropped in by helicopters we quickly came under heavy enemy small arms attack. Fred and I took up a defensive position in a dried out creek bed and began returning fire. A Marine officer jumped in with me and Fred and asked if either of us would help a badly wounded machine gunner who was pinned down about 50 yards away. I volunteered and gave my weapon to Fred to hold for me till I got back. As we approached the wounded machine gunner, we both bent over to pick up the wounded Marine and the Marine officer got shot and had to crawl to safety. After about a half hour I was able to remove the wounded machine gunner to a safe place to be medi vaced to a hospital where he later died. As I returned to the creek bed where I left Fred, Fred was gone. I asked another Marine where Fred was and he pointed back to a small grass hut. I crawled back to that hut and asked another Marine where Fred was and he pointed to a pile ( maybe 20 ) bodies stacked and wrapped in rain ponchos. Fred was dead. I will never forget Frederick Thomas West from Cleveland Heights Ohio . If any family or friends want to reach out, my email address is stuborack@ verizon.net and my phone number is 412-401-8440
. Joe Wadlow
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Alan Escovitz
I didn't know Fred well but remeber him as fun and caring. We both went to Ohio University and was saddened when I learned he had left his freshman year. View Nam was a horrible war and his loss was an American tragedy. Fred will always be remebered by his Heights classmates.
Vicky Santoro (Carlson)
Thank you for your tribute to Fred..he was a wonderful person...I went to Monticello and Heights with Fred..I often think of him and I valued his friendship ,kindness, and his integrity..I attended his funeral service and will never forget that sad day..such a useless loss of lives!
Charles Peterman
I appricate Joe Wadlow giving us the information on Fred West. I went through Noble Elementary, Monticello Jr High and Cleveland Heights High with Fred. Got to know Fred from Football and Baseball.. Fred was an excellent athletic young man. He was one of the nicest Guys I ever knew. In 1967 I was attending St Petersburg Junior College and was informed by a mutual friend of Fred's Demise. I was shocked and very sad. Such a waste of an awesome human being. I was in Washungton D.C, and went to the "Wall" and put my hand over Fred's Name. I did not know that Tim Spring had been killed over there until several years later. So Sad and such ba waste of a great Human being. Spent 25 years in the U.S, Navy but never made it to "Nam". Rest in Peace my Brothers, we will soon meet up again.
Marc Paris
Thank you , Joe , for your memories about Fred West. Monticello was one of the happiest times of my life , and Fred was a part of a group of kids I considered good friends. As often happens , we all went different ways in high school. I was shaken when I got the news of Fred's death . While I never had the chance to visit the Viet Nam Memorial , I made it a point for both of my sons to look him up on their Middle school trips to DC.
Rest in Peace.
Jim Becker
Thanks Joe, That's really tough to read but it does help bring some closure to know exactly what happened.
What a waste .. as was the whole war.
When people say to me "thank you for your service", I politely tell them that to a Vietnam Vet, it is probably better to just say, "I/m glad you made it home"
Take care everyone,
Best, Jim
Shirley Frum (Cohen)
I first met Fred at Monticello. Even though we were not personal friends, he always acknowledged me as he did everyone else who crossed his path.with a nod of the head, a smile or a kind word. He had everything going for him and could have become arrogant, but he remained humble and kind. Many years ago, I visited the Vietnam War Memorial to honor the memories of our fallen heroes and touched Fred's engraved name on the wall as did others who knew him. May his good name and memory remain forever blessed.
Shirley Frum Cohen.
Diane Napletana (Hance)
Thanks Joe for your post. It was difficult to read, and it helped bring some closure. The Vietnam wall was hard when I found his name, visit everytime I go to DC. I. Met Fred when I moved to Cleveland Hts. He was a great guy and friend.
Dana Woodring
It was valuable for me after all these years to learn details of Fred's last day. It does help w/closure. Fred was one of my best friends at Noble, Monticello and Heights High. I have so many memories of him. I remember cutting thru a church parking lot on our bikes. I had sprained my wrist and had it all wrapped up. Some guy knocked my hat off. Fred and Danny Kelly jumped off their bikes and kicked that guy's and his friend's asses! We covered each other's backs a lot of times. We swam on the YMCA travel team, played baseball and football all the way thru school. We lived nearby. Our families were close. I'll never forget when I got the call from home my soph fall at Northwestern. Fred's father had come over to our house w/ the horrible news about Fred being KIA in Nam. My father flew B17s over Germany during WWII. He always encouraged me to sign up for the Air Force. But, after Fred died he never brought it up anymore. When I was a G.A. at Kent I got my draft notice to report for my physical, but, I flunked it because of my knees. I remember being not too upset about that. Fred was awesome!
Victoria Orlando (Piloseno)
Thank you, Joe, for sharing Fred's story. It brings closure to his senseless death. The thousands of soldiers we lost in Vietnam was horrific. My husband's best friend at OSU was also one of the casualties.
Even though I didn't know Fred well, I always thought of him as a really nice guy. He was one of the kool guys on the swim team and was highly respected because of his kindness. It is tragic to think that he wasn't given the opportunity to have a family of his own, a career and to grow old like the rest of us. It is a tribute to Fred that his memory lives on to so many of us. Vicki Orlando Piloseno
Carol (Formerly Eleanor) Hammer (Willis-Holden)
Although I was never close with Fred, I did know who he was and he always seemed to be one of the "good guys." As sad as it was to read the details of his death, it's good to know I was right. Wars are all senseless and, unforunately, the good do seem to die young. As Timothy Leary said, back in the 60's, "Young men fight in the wars that old men legislate." All of them are gone way to soon. Thank you, Joe, for sharing the details with us.