Page 50 - Senior Link Magazine Fall 2022 - Online Magazine
P. 50
Dick Hulslander
A Multi-level Legacy
by Ron Cox
He loved physics, algebra, and Thien means “Hill of Angels” in
geometry. “They had useful Vietnamese. It was an artillery
applications that helped me later base on a hill two miles from the
in life.” Demilitarized Zone and North
Vietnam. The reddish hill had
Music and sports were very been scraped clear of all trees and
important. “They both require vegetation and was surrounded
discipline and teamwork.” Dick by barbed wire. The men were
picked up the trombone at age housed in bunkers with the
13 and loved it; “big band” was Howitzers and mortars nearby in
his favorite music. He tried protective pits.
basketball but had a problem
with depth perception. However, “The day we arrived, it was very
since Dick knew all the players, hot and humid. Dust was in the
ick Hulslander is a the coach asked him to be the air. We looked north toward
man of many interests announcer at basketball games. North Vietnam across fields of
Dand talents. He likes Dick always knew he wanted to eight- to ten-foot-high elephant
to help others, and he enjoys join the military. Members of his grass and east toward the South
academics, music, and sports. He family had served in every war China Sea. The day before, the
is particularly honored to have going back to the French and base had been overrun briefly by
served in the US Marine Corps. Indian War in the 1750s. Dick soldiers of the North Vietnamese
Army. There was fierce hand to
Dick was born in Pryor, won a Naval ROTC scholarship hand combat before the invaders
Oklahoma on April 16, 1944. His and went to the University were repelled.
mom and dad worked at the of Rochester, earning a BS in
DuPont Ordnance Works. His Economics in 1966. He wanted “We were under artillery fire
dad, Donald, grew up on a farm to be either a pilot or an artillery every day. We got little sleep,
and had a chemical engineering officer. He passed most of the never knowing when there
degree from Penn State. “Dad physical to be a pilot, but the would be incoming artillery fire.
had tried to enlist in the Navy the doctor had a concern. “You have We lived on coffee from dawn to
day after Pearl Harbor but ended a depth perception problem. Do dusk.”
up at DuPont. That Christmas, you want to give your life for On July 1, 1967, more Marines
our family was transferred to your country by crashing into arrived at Con Thien. Tom King,
Newburg, New York. We lived the back of an aircraft carrier?” a college buddy was among
in an apartment overlooking the Artillery, it was! “I always them. There was a large body
Hudson River, not far from West wanted to lead Marines, and of North Vietnamese
Point.” artillery provided the
opportunity.” troops nearby. The
Dick’s dad was an inspiration next morning, Tom
to his son. He loved mind Dick went to Viet was part of a two-
challenging games, like Scrabble Nam and served company patrol sent
and crossword puzzles, and he at Con Thien from out to find the enemy.
loved music. Dick remembers May to September They were ambushed
listening to the Longines 1967. It was the and overwhelmed by
Symphonette at age four. He site of some of the superior force. The
grew to love both classical and bloodiest fighting intense fighting lasted
popular music. Learning new in the Vietnam War. four hours before the
things was important to Dick. Ironically, Con Dick on the roof of his enemy withdrew.
bunker at Con Thien
50 Lubbock Senior Link
