Homer Glen Vet Remembers Tour in Vietnam

October 18, 2007

U.S. Army veteran Ron Armstrong, of Homer Glen, recently shared some experiences from his service in Vietnam.

Ron was drafted at a young age, on Oct. 26, 1966, to serve a tour with Company A, 1st Battalion, 58th Infantry Division, 197th Infantry Brigade out of Fort Benning, Ga. He served in Vietnam from 1967-68.

"During my tour in Vietnam, we were under Gen. William C. Westmoreland's command, and wherever there was trouble, we went to it," he said.

Ron served as a radio medevac and was often asked to "pop smoke" and communicated with the aerial rocket artillery for air support, "whenever we had contact with the enemy ... I had to be able to identify what color smoke and give our location so they could find us," Ron said.

"One day while in Vietnam, my good friend William Hillard and other soldiers were searching some caves by foot and I found a rifle, a hat and rain jacket there, too. Then all they guys went crazy trying to find things; it was like a treasure hunt. Then suddenly we all heard some gunshots and Hillard went over to where the gunfire was and one of our guys was hit. There was a big rock and he was down in a pit and was shot ... Hillard jumped into the pit to help the guy out and he was killed and the other guy was severely wounded, but survived," Ron said.

"After that happened, a couple of the other guys went into the other end of the cave and killed the guy that shot Hillard."

Shortly after serving his time in Vietnam and returning to the states, Ron landed in Spokane, Wash., where he was issued a new uniform and offered a steak dinner. "I didn't want to eat dinner. I just wanted to get home. So, I took the red eye home to Chicago," he said. He was on leave for a short while before returning to Fort Benning.

During his last three months at Fort Benning, Ron attended infantry officers' training, where he helped train soldiers in war games. He trained as the opponent. He was later discharged, on what is called an early out, and decided to attend the University of Illinois, where he received a bachelor's degree in management. He achieved the rank of sergeant before his honorable discharge.

Ron was able to visit the Moving Wall, a half-size replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C., this summer when it was on display in Orland Park. He was able to find Hillard's name on the memorial. "Seeing his name was very emotional for me," he said.

Ron is currently a member of the following organizations: Cantigny Museum, Reber Tesmond VFW Post 2604 in Orland Park, and a rifleman of the Abraham Lincoln Memorial Squad.

During his military career, he received a Vietnam Service Medal with two Bronze Stars for meritorious achievement in ground operations against hostile forces, the National Defense Service Medal; Combat Infantryman Badge and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.

"I am very proud to have served for my country," Ron said.

Ron's dad, Donald Armstrong, also served in the Army in an engineer battalion during World War II at the Battle of the Bulge.

Ron is married to JoAnn, has two daughters, Jennifer and Julie, and a son, Scott.

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