Page 79 - Senior Link Magazine Winter 2017- Online Magazine

air would help the wounds heal more Doug may not consider would react to the Vietnam Wall. He
quickly.” After recovering, Doug was himself a hero, but for had lost so many buddies in Vietnam
“reassigned to the Lai Khe Base to sit that he “didn’t have time to look them
at a desk and a typewriter.” the buddies he saved, all up” on the Memorial. It was both an
he will always be emotional and cathartic time for Doug.
Doug thought that his combat days considered one. So many good, young men lost, and
were over, but his unit was hit by he had survived. Many call this the
rocket fire in the initial wave of the Tet “Healing Wall”. I asked him, “Was it
Offensive on January 30, 1968. Doug’s building was hit, for you?” He noted that “it helped, but I’m still dealing
and the men had to “head for the bunkers.” Typewriter with it.” He spoke for many Vietnam veterans who, to
duty was more dangerous than he had anticipated! He this day, are “still dealing with it.”
noted that the “chow hall had to be closed down as it
was targeted, and we had to eat c-rations for six weeks.”

Doug left Vietnam on June 14, 1968. “I came home and
started farming. After the first disastrous year, I found a
job at the Chevron Gas Plant north of Snyder and stayed
around for 25 years.” He retired in 1995, although he and
Belinda continued to farm. He is still farming to this day
with his son Rodney. Rodney didn’t know a lot about
his dad’s days in Vietnam but is so proud of him for his
service and his much-deserved trip to Washington, D.C.

Looking at Doug’s medals from his days in Vietnam, I
noticed that he had earned the Bronze Star with a “V”. I
told him that I knew that the “V” stood for ‘valor’. He
immediately replied, “I’m no hero.” However, Belinda
showed me a commendation letter that stated in part,
“Without hesitation or regard for his own personal safety,
Specialist Foster ran through intense hostile fire to man
the machine gun’s location. While engaging the Viet Cong
(on his own), Specialist Foster was wounded by fragments
of an enemy grenade. Ignoring his wounds, he remained
at his position and continued his devastating fire to cover
the evacuation of his wounded comrades.” Doug may not
consider himself a hero, but for the buddies he saved, he
will always be considered one. By the time the battle was
over, 59 soldiers were killed and 75 wounded.

Although nearly backing out at the last minute, Doug
went on the 2016 Honor Flight. He wasn’t sure how he

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Lubbock Senior Link 79