________________________________________________________________________Richard S. Kem
I finally came down to the fact that I'd always been taught that what you ought to do is
command in combat. So, here I'd been selected for battalion command in combat and what
am I turning down? If I tell the Chief of Staff I'd rather do that than be a province senior
adviser, with all my training--I mean, what's negative about that? Being province senior
adviser was awfully important, but so was commanding in combat.
So, I came down to a decision that what I really wanted to do, had always wanted to do, was
go command a battalion in combat. I'd already been an adviser. That was okay too. What did
I really want to do? So, I wrote a letter to the Chief of Staff of the Army, General Johnson,
that I couldn't accept the nomination because I really wanted to go command in combat. I got
a nice letter back from the Adjutant General of the United States saying the Chief of Staff
understood. So, I went off to Vietnam.
I left Leavenworth a week early so I could go take command because it was becoming
available early. Took my family to Green Cove Springs, Florida, south of Jacksonville. A
waiting-wives community had been forming in an old Air Force installation there. I missed
the graduation ceremony where I would have had the opportunity to be in the picture with
such stalwart folks as Gerry Galloway, Colin Powell, and Don Whalen, who were there also
at that time. My experience I mentioned while with the 82d had managed somehow to get me
past all the exams so that I finished in the top five of the class with those other illustrious
folks. So, in the graduation picture of the class of 1968 were four people, and I was on the
way to Vietnam.
Q:
That's a good story.
Commander, 577th Engineer Battalion (Construction)
Q:
In July 1968, I believe it was, you became battalion commander of the 577th Engineer
Battalion (Construction) your second tour in Vietnam. Were you familiar with that unit
before you went over? Did you have any input into that command assignment?
A:
No. As I mentioned, Major Ernie Edgar told me that I was going to command and told me
that was the battalion I was slated for. He also advised that many times when people came
into the country their assignments were changed, but that I was certainly going over on the
command recommended list.
So, I moved my family to Green Cove Springs, Florida, and then reported back into the
system. I flew out to Travis Air Force Base, then on to Vietnam and into the replacement
depot at Long Binh upon arrival.
I spent a couple of days there, and then I was told I was going to the 20th Engineer Brigade. I
tried to intercede and say, "No, I am supposed to go to the 18th Engineer Brigade and
battalion command." They said, "No, the 20th it is."
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