Ruben B. Botello, USMC, 1965-69 (MOS 5543, 5547)
Ruben in the center with other band members enroute to a gig for the villagers.
Ruben getting some help loading a 50 cal on the truck on Hill 327.Ruben wrote me this email;
"Brings it all back to memory once again. Yup I was there when our Band was overrun but thank God in the right place at the right time. My bunker was overrun that night Ziegler, Mitchell and Rabel were killed. I rotated with Ziegler on the one bunker he got killed at; every other night for each of us. It was his night...damn, it still hurts. Mitchell drove around from bunker to bunker and foxholes; his vehicle was rocketed. Rabel just popped up out of his foxhole to look around; I owed him $10 and feel bad about that too. They were wonderful guys, great Marines and excellent musicians too."
Ruben thank you for your service to your Country and welcome home Marine, and thank you for sharing your memories.
Semper fi
3 comments:
I am Lance Corporal Victor Rabel's daughter, and I would very much like to talk to any one of you who wouldn't mind sharing your personal experiences, and any information that you might have about my dad. He was killed Feb 23, 1969, in De Nang, Viet Nam, while on patrol - I was 9 months old. We know so little, and he is missed so very much! Thank you for the posts that you have already shared! I have goose bumps just reading them. I have always wondered so many things, including where my dad was when he was killed in action, what that area might look like, and what the circumstances might be. He wrote many letters to my mother, and that is all I have. He sounded so grown up for just a 20 year old man. There is so much yet to learn! Thank you so very much, to all of you for your honorable service! There are no words! - Tamera (Rabel) Ehlers
I appear to be on the left in the back of the truck with ruben sitting in the center. I was the 1st /Div Band squad leader on alpha line the night we were attacked by NVA. I left some details on KIAs on another comment. Hope they get through. I have some trouble figuring which is the most current blog. Never done this before. I'll try periodically.
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