|
EARL WILLIAM KNUTSON, JR.
(Clinton, Wisconsin)
December 25, 1966
In 1965, the buildup of the Vietnam war was just starting
to take place. Earl, like many others within the County, had
the compelling need to be part of this. He believed it was the
right thing to do and duty called. |
|
The unexpected would come suddenly. With only one day's notice,
they were given orders to pack up to go to Vietnam. They finally
got to Danang, and, after a few days, new orders sent Gary one
way and Earl the other. Pfc. Knutson would travel just south
of the large port city to Chu Lai, and be attached to a key aviation
unit. A new airstrip had been built at Chu Lai and Earl would
be part of the security team guarding Marine Air Group 36, 1st
Marine Air Wing. As was with most air bases in Vietnam, MAG-36
would get nightly mortar attacks as the enemy tried to hit the
variety of helicopters based there. He would quickly fall into
the routine of bombs and manning his machine gun at the perimeter
of the strip. He did his job well and looked forward to coming
home.
Through letters, he kept in touch with Gary Sweet. From boot
camp, they had formed a friendship that both knew would last
for life. With the holidays forthcoming, they decided to meet
for a mini-reunion and swap war-stories. On Christmas Eve, 1966,
Gary, Earl, and another friend Gene Wotring, got together to
reflect on their lives and vowed to keep in touch with each other.
With the war still going on, they all shook hands and each had
to get back to their assigned units.
While enroute back to MAG-36, Earl got lost, took a wrong
turn somewhere, and instead of bearing north... he somehow went
west. Confused, he ended up in the small village of An Tan.
While the actual events that then took place are unclear, Pfc.
Earl Knutson was shot by another Marine with the 1st MP's. Officially,
his death early that morning, Christmas Day, was that he didn't
know the password of the area and refused to stop. A brief investigation
of the incident was initiated, and Earl became another casualty
of the war. To those that knew him, they still discount this
explanation.
It took days for Gary to find out about Earl's death. Gary's
parents had heard about it on the radio and were devastated.
They attended his funeral... and many years later Gary's father
built a Veterans Memorial in Pahrump, Nevada. On it there is
only one casualty from Vietnam... Earl Knutson. Every Christmas
Eve, Gary and Gene contact each other for a moment of silence
- to continue their reunion started many years ago.
Earl Knutson's name is on the Vietnam Memorial Wall on Panel
13E, Line 79.
Courtesy of Bruce
Swander |
