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| Roots of Collin County: Searching for Bill Bryan
'After all the time I had spent in looking for someone who knew Bill, I had succeeded. But I was scared to death.' 11:34 AM CST on Wednesday, January 21, 2004 By RONNIE D. FOSTER On Jan. 20, 1968, Cpl. Charles W. "Bill" Bryan, Bravo Company, 3rd Recon Battalion, was killed as he tried to save the lives of two fellow Marines during a fierce battle on Hill 881-North, about five miles northwest of Khe Sanh in Vietnam. Bill was the leader of Team Barkwood, a seven-man reconnaissance patrol assigned the mission of retrieving a lost radio and code sheet. The two seriously wounded Marines were assistant team leader Cpl. Lionel Guerra and radio operator Lance Cpl. Robert "P.J." Pagano, who were med-evaced off the hill at separate times that afternoon. They were both sent back to hospitals in the states, eventually being retired because of their wounds, not knowing what had happened after they had left, and not to see each other or any other members of Team Barkwood. Bill's story Bill Bryan and I grew up in McKinney and graduated from high school in May 1966. Two weeks later we were on a train to Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, on the buddy system, assigned to Platoon 1042. After infantry training we were sent on our separate ways and saw each other only once more at the Camp Pendleton beach club a couple of months later. He was in Recon School and would soon be sent to Hawaii. We tried to buy a couple of beers but were too young, so we settled for a chocolate shake. That was the last time I saw him. In May 1967, he came home on leave and married his girlfriend, Deidra Simpson, one of the prettiest girls in McKinney, in the living room of her parents' home. The young newlyweds, she was 18 and he was 19, would spend less than five weeks together before he was sent to Vietnam. Less than four months later, Deidra Bryan would become a widow while still just a teenager. It was a year and a half after that when I came home. I went to visit Bill's mom, and she cried the whole time I was there. I went back a few weeks later and it was the same. I felt very guilty for making her feel that way. I also felt guilty that I came home and my buddy didn't. I wanted to see Deidra, who had since moved away, but was afraid of putting her through the same misery. I became a musician and spent the next few years traveling all around the country. My son was born Sept. 28, 1978, the day after Bill's birthday. I named him Bill Bryan Foster, and when I took him to meet Mrs. Bryan, she was so proud, saying that they looked very much alike. She broke down and cried and cried. I felt terrible and decided that I could not put her through that again. I spent the next 25 years keeping my thoughts and memories to myself. Forgotten In early 2003, I was at the American Legion Hall in McKinney talking to some guys I knew but had not seen in quite a while. The conversation turned to Vietnam. I was shocked when I realized they didn't remember Bill Bryan. How could that be when I thought about him every day of my life? I guess it was something I just took for granted. That was when I decided to write a book about Bill and the other 16 forgotten heroes from my home county who had also died in Vietnam. I was in contact with retired Marine Col. William H. Dabney from the Hill 881-South Web site. He only met Bill Bryan once, on the night before the attack. He remembered him by his deeds, however, and recommended him for the Navy Cross. He had not known whether Bill had survived or what the fate of the other team members had been because all had been evacuated directly from the battlefield. He said that the chances of finding any survivors from that battle were very slim, as that was on the eve of the 77-day siege of Khe Sanh. In the ensuing days there were many more casualties among those who had been in the fight on 881-North on that day in January 1968. Discovery In late July 2003, only a couple of months after I started posting my search for information on Vietnam-related Internet bulletin boards, an e-mail popped up from an unfamiliar address. It said, "regarding Charles Bryan." I quickly opened it. It said: "I served with Charles Bryan in Vietnam. I have been trying for many years to locate his family. Please call me. Lionel Guerra." I just sat there and stared at it. And now, after all the time I spent looking for someone who knew Bill, I had succeeded. But I was scared to death. I didn't know what to say at first, and I guess I was a little afraid of what I might hear. I took a long deep breath and called him 30 minutes later. "I had gone outside and was working in my yard when the phone rang," Lionel later said. "My wife answered and told me who it was. I couldn't believe it. I had just sent the e-mail. I started shaking and couldn't talk. My wife took the number and said that I would call back shortly." Lionel called me about 15 minutes later. I learned later that, like me, he had to compose himself a bit after that initial shock. It was a bit awkward at first, but as soon as we started talking about Bill, the words flowed. They had been together when he died. I could tell he was really touched as he told me things that he had never told anyone before. Ronnie D. Foster from McKinney is a Vietnam veteran who is writing a book about the 17 young men from Collin County who died in the war in Vietnam. He can be reached at rdfoster66@msn.com. About this series During the Vietnam War, 17 young men from Collin County lost their lives in service to their country. This two-part series is written by a McKinney resident who wants those men and their stories to never be forgotten. |
| BILL'S STORY PAGE 1 |
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| BILL'S STORY PAGE 2 |
