Old Soldiers Reunite
John Wolfe here {B2nd327} vietnam68-69. I had the honor of serving under both Charlie Beckwith and Charlie Dyke. I was hit pretty bad in an NVA ambush in the mountains somewhere west of Hue, was choppered out to the 22nd med. evac where I had a series of cardiac arrests, {from loss of blood} lost my left leg etc.,etc. While this ordeal was going on Charlie Dyke came to see me. He layed a dagger emblazoned with our eagle and a 101 medallion on my stomach. He kissed me and whispered something to me which I didn’t comprehend at the time. But the warmth and strength emanating from him were vital sustenance for the personal battle for survival I was fighting at the time. I always felt enormous gratitude for his genuine “connection” with me at that time. I have tried to find him on the net and did locate a company with which he is associated. An e-mail I sent to the company was never answered so it either didn’t reach his office or he didn’t remember me. I just saw his e-mail to you concerning that cad Clark. If you have his e-mail address would you shoot him a copy of this . I wrote a short memoir of the event that was published in War, Literature and Art magazine. My email address is Lycan71@hotmail.com and I also have a web site at www.wolfestudio.com thanks kid!
No Slack-Wolfe
John,
Thank you for the message in your email of January 8, 2004 to Yankee Jim. Seldom has any message left me feeling more humble, more proud of our NO SLACK brothers, or more aware of how limited I am and have been in truly helping others. You are an incredibly brave soldier, John, a person of character and values that have directed and sustained you for some 35 years now. Your sacrifice to our great country really means something because it is a sacrifice that defines who we are as a nation, as a people and as individuals.
When I visited you at the 22nd Evacuation Hospital, I felt so strongly that I should have, somehow, been able to lead and command well enough to make sure you and all the NO SLACK troopers were not wounded or injured. We know, and I knew then, that this is an impossible standard in combat and, if taken too far, causes even more casualties.
But, every wound, every injury, hurt me personally and I often wonder how those we evacuated have done over the years and how they are doing now. I am so glad to know that you have made a good life for yourself and I would like to know more about it, if you feel comfortable sharing some thoughts.
John, I had no idea that you had sent an email to the website for my company, ITTA. Messages sent to the website are screened for businesses interests and all personal emails received are sent to the individual addressee. I frequently get emails through this route and answer them all, but I do not recall having received yours. But, we can catch up and make up for some lost time.
After commanding the NO SLACK Battalion (Nov 1968 May 1969), I remained in the 101st until June 1970 and then on to a number of troop command and staff positions in the Army, retiring in 1988 after commanding U.S. Army Japan, 1985-1988. I founded my company, ITTA, in September 1989 and it has, thankfully, prospered. As you know, the danger is becoming captive of what you create, but I truly enjoy working the international issues of trade and technology transfer.
John, thank you for your service to our country. Thank you for the many sacrifices you have made, as a soldier and as a citizen. Thank you for your honesty and for your emotional strength. Thank you for your loyalty to NO SLACK and the Screaming Eagles, and to all our troopers. Thank you also for the personal strength to remember and share in a manner that rings with something good and solid, but hard to express to others.
I am so very honored to have served with you and to have had the honor of commanding the NO SLACK battalion. May God bless you and your family and may all Americans remember your sacrifice and the sacrifices of all our troops.
NO SLACK
Charles W. Dyke
RAMROD
P.S. Could you please fax to me a copy of the short memoir you published in War, Literature and Art magazine of the event west of Hue?
Dear Charles;Thank you so much for the thoughtful words and sentiments. It is truly great to hear from you after so many years. I was really a kid when I was with the 2nd 327, a kind of “lower east side punk” I’m afraid. My association with the 101 was an amazingly maturing and sobering experience. I remember my initial shock as a “cherry” upon seeing what rigors my new companions endured as they humped the mountains of I Corps and having always fancied myself a “tough-guy” I feared nothing more than perhaps not being able to “cut it”. Fortunately, I also became inured to the harsh realities and the experience has served me well throughout life. I’ve enjoyed and been grateful for everyday since. I have been blessed with three wonderful sons and an equally wonderful daughter. One son is a police detective near Atlanta, another son, Clay performs statistical analyses for Nextel somewhere near you in Restin Virginia. The third just finished a Three year fellowship at Syracuse University. My daughter Laura is a senior at North Texas University {she went out thereto school to be close to a boy-friend} She is adopted {korean} I had tried to get a couple kids from cambodia when the horrors perpetrated by Pol Pot & company were going on, but failed. Anyway thats my life in a nut-shell. Im a painter, you can see my pictures at www.wolfestudio.com and also read the memoir there {a Different Species Of Time} I would love to send you a physical copy of the book because I illustrated the story and those images do not accompany the text on the web site. If you have a PO box I will send you off one. I will close now. Reading the part of {A Different Species of Time} that deals with you will telegragh to you more of what your visit meant to me than I could find the words for now. God bless you and yours. Your company must perform vital services in a post 9-11 world. P.S. Im going to be a grandfather. Its a boy! Let me hear from you when theres a break in the clouds.
No Slack
Sincerely;
John Wolfe
John,
Thanks for your truly wonderful note which makes clear the kind of good life you have lived since Vietnam. I will write more later.
I would appreciate receiving the complete A Different Species of Time. Also, I go by “Bill”– the “W” in my name is William.
With much gratitude and respect,
Bill Dyke
