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My Cousins - AUSTIN Related
Album was created 3 years 3 months ago and modified 3 years 3 months ago
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#17 - Dillard Massengale, Combat Wounded Vietnam Veteran.
Mr. Dillard Massengale, Combat Wounded Veteran. Served in the Vietnam War: 1967-1968, in Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division - "BIG RED ONE"

Dillard Massengale, a Vietnam Veteran is one of 11 brothers and sisters in his family. His father was a WWll Army Veteran, and one of his brothers, Donald Ray Massengale, was also a Vietnam Veteran serving with the 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry, of 1st Calvary Division, at "Bear Cat" in Vietnam.

Dillard was born and raised in Smokey Junction and graduated from Norma High School in 1966. After working a short time after graduation he received his Draft Notice for the U.S. Army on or about October 1966. Dillard started serving in the Army on February 1, 1967, with Basic Combat Training at Fort Benning Georgia, and Advanced Individual Training (AIT) at Fort Polk Louisiana. After a 17-day leave, he was on his way to Vietnam, arriving on June 28, 1967. Dillard was assigned to Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division - "BIG RED ONE" and was in Vietnam for about 9 months before being wounded in combat and returned to the U.S.A.

While in Vietnam, Dillard spent time at these Base Camps: Phuoc Vinh, Quan Loi, and Lai Khe. He also spent time at Black Virgin Mountain, and Fire Base Whiskey.

Dillard fought in battles at places called An Loc, Lock Ninh, Dian, Ho Chi Minh Trail, Iron Triangle, and An My. Dillard was awarded a Bronze Star Medal with “V” Device, for heroism, for his actions in the battle at "An My" on February 1, 1968.

Dillard’s main job in Vietnam was (Primary Occupational Specialty) 11B Light Weapons Infantryman, but he also was trained to operate the 81mm Mortar, and he also performed the duties as an FO (Forward Observer), and RTO (Radio Telephone Operator), during his tour.

Along with his weapon, backpack, ammo, water, etc. Dillard also carried a 23-pound AN/PRC-25 Radio. The AN/PRC-25 provided his Commander with a means to communicate with other Units back in the rear in case of an emergency, and with other elements while on patrol or recon. Sometimes, Dillard himself would use the Radio to direct Mortar fire during a Fire Mission from the Mortar Platoon that was within firing range of him and the rest of his men that was on patrol, and the radio, along with a good map, provided the tools needed to do his job as an RTO. From stories told by some of his buddies he met at their annual Unit Reunion, he was one of the best FO and RTOs they had ever seen and they all wanted him along on their patrols because of his ability to accurately direct the Mortar Fire onto the enemy when needed.

While on one such patrol, Dillard was severely wounded by small arms fire and shrapnel from an enemy grenade or Mortar rounds exploding nearby. The Viet Cong and NVA soldiers had ambushed their patrol during an S&D (Search and Destroy) mission. After receiving basic field medical care from his Medic, for numerous wounds to his stomach and other parts of his body, he was medevacked by helicopter using a cable hoist to extract him from the thick jungle where a Landing Zone (LZ) was not possible.

While under heavy enemy fire, and while he was being hoisted from the ground to the helicopter, he was able to expend the last of his ammunition by firing his M-16 Rifle to lay down much-needed firepower onto the enemy below before finally running out of ammunition and dropping his weapon to the ground as he was pulled into the helicopter and flown back to the nearest medical facility. After receiving what medical care he could get to keep him alive, he was transferred to the 106th Military Hospital in Japan, where he received much-needed surgeries to patch up the wounds in his body. After a few weeks of care and convalescence in Japan, Dillard was transferred back to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland for further treatment. Later, he was transferred to Fort Benning Georgia where he received another surgery, called a Colostomy, and a Laparotomy, to repair parts of his intestines which had previously been removed in Japan. After the surgery, he was placed on Administrative Leave so he could go home for a while. After his leave time was up and he returned to Fort Benning Georgia, he was transferred again, this time to Fort Hood Texas to finish out his term of service in the Army.

After receiving his Honorable Discharge, on January 31, 1969, he was finally headed for home, back to good old Smokey Junction which he still calls home to this day.

MEDALS:
Bronze Star Medal, w/1 Oak Leaf Cluster, w/”V” Device
Purple Heart
Air Medal
Army Commendation Medal, with “V” Device
National Defense Service Medal
Vietnam Service Medal, with three Bronze Service Stars
Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation, with Palm Device
Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Honor Medal Unit Citation, First Class

AWARDS: Combat Infantryman Badge

WEAPONS QUALIFICATIONS: Marksman (Pistol), Expert (Rifle), Second Class Gunner (M-60 Machine Gun)
Album was created 8 years 4 months ago and modified 3 years 3 months ago
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2020 - Christmas at Dennis & Amy's
Album was created 3 years 3 months ago and modified 3 years 3 months ago
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BROWN-1 - Pictures of the Francis Marion Brown and Dovie Ellen (AUSTIN) Brown family
Old Family Photographs entrusted to me by friends and family member - to share with others.

If you recognize someone and need to give me their name, or you want to correct me on something, please feel free to contact me via email or leave a comment at the bottom of THE picture in question and I will be notified.
Album was created 13 years 9 months ago and modified 3 years 4 months ago
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James "Jimmy" Leslie West
Album was created 3 years 4 months ago and modified 3 years 4 months ago
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3 - "Still Working On This"
Album was created 7 years 2 months ago and modified 3 years 5 months ago
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#16 - DAK TO, Vietnam, 1969, from David Sauseda on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.sauseda.9
I hope David does not mind me copying his pictures of DAK TO and making him an Album. I sent him a request message but never heard back.
Album was created 3 years 8 months ago and modified 3 years 8 months ago
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#10 - Norma in the Old Days
In the early 1900s, Norma, in Scott County, was a bustling community with several lumber mills although now it barely seems to exist. It fits prominently into the Walker story in the case of Dr. Andrew Calvin Walker, who was a doctor there late in his life and died in 1926. Some locations, from postcards that belonged to him, are included on this page; click any for a larger picture.
Visit: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~edwardbwalker/places/norma.html

INFORMATION FROM DESCENDANTS: John B. Jeffers, and Kizzie Duncan Jeffers, were married April 3, 1904, in Scott Co. Tennessee. John B and Frank Smithers built a two-story building in Norma. The Store was downstairs and they called it “Norma Union Store”. Both Families lived upstairs. Apparently it wasn’t profitable enough to sustain two families and John eventually bought Frank’s share. Gradually the store became more successful and they weathered the Depression pretty well. Five of John B and Kizzie’s seven children were raised to adulthood with their primary years over the store. The children were: Dot (Oran Holloway); Tressie Beulah (Virgil Murley); Nevva (Marley Phillips); James Hoyal (Jean Debord); Darel (never married); Dennis (died at age 10); and Jaymon (died at 3 months). Nevva said that her early training in honesty came in this store when her dad (John B.) taught her to use a candy scales. He taught her to look at it straight on so that you didn’t cheat the customer or yourself. Those little white scales have passed down to Nevva’s daughter, Kay Phillips Davis, and are still in her possession. John B. told Nevva on his deathbed that if he ever cheated a man out of a penny he didn’t know it. When John B. retired and moved to Oneida, he sold the store to Kermit and Elwood Sharp and they changed the name to Sharp Brothers Store. Kermit worked the coal mines and Elwood ran the store for about eight years. It must have been about this time that Elwood bought Kermit’s share and it became known as Sharp’s Cash Store, which it remained throughout the years until it burned down.

If you can identify the ones that need a name, or want to comment, please do so either by email: erayaustin@outlook.com, or at bottom of picture!
Album was created 13 years 3 months ago and modified 3 years 8 months ago
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I designed this website in 2003, just for you!
“I hope you enjoy the pictures”
MSG. E. Ray Austin, US Army, Retired - The Webmaster