When I was a kid, I read about Larry Dring’s Army exploits and they definitely influenced my own service. For example, I was often in hot water over being in the wrong uniform.
Unfortunately, he passed away even before I joined the Army myself, but I often went back and read the accounts written by SF Veteran Jim Morris and published in Soldier of Fortune magazine. To me, he was a hero.
Today is the anniversary of his death and I thought I’d introduce this legend to my readers.
I recently ran across a great memorial website, complete with scans of the SOF articles, and found out that Larry’s son also served in the Army. They put a lot of work into it, so be sure to go check it out.
vietnamveteransmemoral.homestead.com/dringlarry
Tags: Larry Dring
SSD,
Thanks for posting this. I remember these stories. I discovered SOF just about the time I reported to Basic and Infantry AIT at Ft Polk, LA in the summer of 75.
I seem to remember that at one point Larry was briefly the “Minister of Agriculture” for South Korea. I always thought that was just an improbable war story.
But then I was offered the job of Deputy Minister of Defense for Eritrea shortly after they gained their independence in the 90s. SF guys do get to lead odd and interesting lives.
We can see so much farther today because we stand on the shoulders of the giants that came before us like Larry Dring.
VR TLB
On Yadkin Road there used to be a plaque and engraving shop that we would use for unit plaques, on the wall behind the counter was a set of Larry Dring’s uniforms hung up for display. Great American!
I remember that
Apparently his wife’s family was from a town local to my hometown.
Altoona, PA. Where they were married. I found an article detailing his wound during Tet, where he met his wife.
https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1982&dat=19680426&id=cndGAAAAIBAJ&sjid=RyoNAAAAIBAJ&pg=3709,4666320&hl=en
Great post I remember the articles in the 80s from SOF.
I still quote some of Larry’s best.
“The BAR, got my firs man with one, Kept one handy ever since.” Awesome….
Yes, I remember those Larry Dring stories and articles! Great stuff and always wished more had been published before his death.
Thanks for posting this.
My uncle was a Green Beret medic working with Montagnards in 1968, and though he does not discuss it with me (we aren’t close), he did share this a couple years ago (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5OVGx4swvbY/U343QuFfO3I/AAAAAAAAFl8/U0VS6t05ztk/s1600/cf.jpeg):
Going through a box of my dad’s stuff that I’d stored since he died and came across these, taken 46 years ago this month. They’re old enough now to be actual historical photos….
I don’t remember the top one at all–probably shot by one of my Montagnards. The lower one is a little girl with malaria. We went into a village called Plei Bong on a Medcap (Medical Civil Action Patrol) and her dad brought her out to me. She had a high fever alternating with chills, so I called in a helicopter evac. Didn’t occur to me at the time, but It was a pretty primitive area, two days’ walk to get in, people eating monkeys and rats, and suddenly a Huey appeared and whisked the whole family to an American hospital. They must have thought they’d been abducted by aliens….