Just had a great conversation with my father. When Dad was a 2LT in 1964, he was stationed at Fort Carson—1 of 4 LTs who shared a house in Colorado Springs. Pic is Dad in Vietnam in 1967. #miltwitter #MemorialDay2020 1/

The 4 young leaders were James Hunter Shotwell (L), Mike Kilroy (R), Don Byrne, and Dad. Hunter, Mike, and Don were classmates at USMA (Class of ’63). 2 of them would be killed in Vietnam. 2/

Dad was closest with Hunter—so close that Dad gave one of my older brothers Hunter as a middle name. My brother in turn named his oldest son the same. 3/

Hunter grew up in Beverly, MA and attended Colby College for a year prior to entering West Point where he played hockey and lacrosse. He was a Ranger School graduate who served a tour in Vietnam as an advisor to an ARVN Ranger BN from 1965-66. 4/

He then went on to command C/2-505 at Fort Bragg where Jack Jacobs was one of his PLs. Jacobs of course went on to earn the MoH in Vietnam. Jacobs spoke about Hunter informing him that he was being assigned as the BN S3 Air in his book “If Not Now, When?.” 5/

Jacobs details Hunter informing him that he was moving from being a Platoon Leader to the BN S3 Air. Read this to Dad today and he laughed. Yes, moving from the line to staff has never been popular. 6/

Hunter and his wife Jean traveled to New Orleans— Hunter was one of Dad’s groomsman when he married Mom in June 1967. Dad remembers it like it was yesterday: “They flew from Bragg on a Piedmont flight to Atlanta and then to New Orleans. They stayed with my Aunt Molda.” 7/

Dad stays in touch with Jean. I can recall being a kid and Dad going from Fort Campbell to the Sikorsky plant in CT to pick up new UH-60s for the 101st. He enjoyed this not for the flying part, but because it allowed him to drop in from time to time and say hello to Jean. 8/

Hunter came from a family that knew service and sacrifice. His great-great grandfather, CPT John Drum, was killed at San Juan Hill—and he was the great-nephew of LTG Hugh Drum, a veteran of WWI and WWII, and the namesake of the home of the 10th Mountain Division. 9/

Hunter submitted his resignation from the Army and was accepted to Law School. His resignation was denied—he went back to Vietnam in 1968. A friend chronicled a discussion he had with Hunter about not needing to return to Vietnam. Hunter had done his part. 10/

Hunter said that he loved America and as a West Point graduate he had to bear the mantle of leadership. He was KIA 25 MAY 1968 near Da Nang while commanding a Co in the Americal Division. He was a recipient of BSM/V. Jean would have their second son (David) after his death. 11/

Hunter is buried at West Point. I attended a wedding there in 1998 and visited his grave with @selectedwisdom. I made this rubbing of his name on the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial in DC Fall 2000. I was with my friend Mike who would later be KIA in in Iraq Aug 2004. 12/

Mike Kilroy was from Packanack, NJ, Captain of the West Point swim team, and a Ranger School grad. He was an advisor to an ARVN Infantry BN when he was KIA 19 MAY 1966. The Captain Michael W. Kilroy Award is presented annually to the captain of the WP men's swimming team. 13/

Mike was posthumously promoted to CPT and awarded the Silver Star. The government of the Republic of Vietnam awarded him its Gallantry Cross with palm and its National Order, Fifth Class. 14/

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/124317514/michael-winston-kilroy

In a letter to his parents, his commander wrote: “As a member of this command, Michael was greatly admired by all of his associates, both American and Vietnamese. He was a thoroughly competent officer, performing his duties in a highly professional and courageous manner.” 15/

Mike is buried at West Point—head to head with his USMA classmate and former roommate Hunter Shotwell. Mike's parish church bulletin captured who he was. Dad said that well into the early 90s, his boyhood room was unchanged, complete with his swimming trophies. 16/

Don Byrne and Dad still keep in touch. After a fairly long gap, Dad saw him when I moved here to NOVA to attend the National War College. There's is a bond that cannot be broken. Our Vietnam Veterans are aging. We need to ensure their stories are passed down. #LestWeForget END/