PLATTSMOUTH, Neb. (WOWT) – Greater than 58,000 American troops died within the Vietnam Battle. One of many first casualties was a particular forces workers sergeant from Plattsmouth.
Wayne Marchand was killed in Vietnam 60 years in the past this month.
America started its full-scale involvement within the Vietnam Battle in 1964, two years earlier than Special Forces Workers Sergeant Wayne Marchand and three different staff members have been coaching a south Vietnam village self-defense group once they got here beneath assault from the Viet Cong. After preventing off a number of assaults, Marchand was wounded, captured, and later executed.
Terry Wayne Marchand by no means knew his uncle Wayne, however he wears his uncle’s center title.
“It’s very humbling to know I’ve some lineage to somebody who has completed nice issues for folks not for himself, not being egocentric,” Terry stated.
Terry says he wasn’t but born when his uncle was killed in Vietnam, however his household typically informed tales about his uncle Wayne.
“He was talked about being an excellent man, a down-to-earth particular person, at all times considering of different folks. I’ve at all times requested questions of my father, about his time with him, and he stated there was not a greater brother on the market. He at all times had his again.”
Sixty years in the past the dying of Workers Sergeant Marchand was huge information right here within the heartland, and Omaha despatched Corridor of Fame Journalist Dave Hamer and his digicam to Vietnam to cowl the story.
Dave Hamer labored in Omaha tv information for 40 years. In 1962, a then 32-year-old Hamer and his digicam have been despatched to Vietnam to cowl the dying of the native soldier.
“The station needed to know why are People over there and why are they dying,” Hamer stated. “So the lengthy and in need of it was they despatched two of us, Bob Fuller and myself, and we went over and spent virtually a month there.”
Hamer coated the story and produced 4 documentaries on the scenario in Vietnam, two years earlier than the U.S. grew to become completely concerned within the conflict.
The aim was to tell native folks right here what was happening there, and why a neighborhood man from Plattsmouth had been killed.
There have been solely 5 U.S. reporters in Vietnam. New York Occasions had one, United Press had one, AP had one, and two males from Omaha, which everybody thought was a little bit unusual.
Terry says this time of 12 months he thinks about his uncle and all of the issues he went by way of over in Vietnam. He tells us the person he by no means met nonetheless conjures up him.
“It makes me try to be a greater man each time I give it some thought. it makes me have rather a lot to dwell as much as. He sort of put an ordinary I attempt to shoot for on a regular basis and attempt to dwell my life that manner. Attempt to be that humble particular person, and attempt to be that individual that cares for others and led others to raised themselves.”
Workers Sergent Marchand is interred at Lafayette Cemetery in Nemaha County.
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