William A Fuchs, Jr

The database page for William A Fuchs, Jr

09 Jul 2007 Bill was my boyhood friend and I just found his final resting place and brother Jack still alive after 40 years of searching. God Bless you, Bill, for the sacrifice you made for our freedom. This was the best Fourth of July ever - 7/4/2007. From a boyhood friend, Carter J. Doering US Army 1964 - 1967 18645 Emerald Drive Unit E, Brookfield, Wisconsin 53045 cdoering@prodigy.net 10 Oct 2007 Dear family and friends, As some of you know, an anonymous person recently reading a remembrance I had written for my boyhood friend Marine PFC William A. Fuchs Jr., killed in action in Vietnam February 28, 1966 at The Virtual Wall on the internet, told me where he was buried. Wisconsin Memorial Park, Brookfield, Wisconsin, the city where I now reside. I had been searching for his final resting place and the whereabouts of his brother Jack on and off for 40 some odd years and had not seen them together in 50 years. We had lost touch when we moved from our neighborhood of 21st & North in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. We all attended Brown Street School and West Division High School in 1960. We all joined the armed forces; Bill in 1963 the Marines, me in 1964 the Army, and Jack in 1965 the Navy. Jack served 3 tours in Vietnam and escorted his brother’s body home from Japan. There was much press and TV coverage of Bill’s funeral as this was one of the first casualties of the war from Milwaukee. This tipster also provided me with their older brother’s address and phone number whom I called immediately. I left message for Jack to call me if he wanted to talk to me. I waited two weeks with no response. I then wrote him a letter telling him he should only call if he wanted to and if not I would understand. I also told him how I had kept the memory of Bill alive for all these years and did understand the sanctity of a hero’s family. On the evening of July 2nd I received a phone call from Jack that he was here in Milwaukee and he had driven from a western state for two days. Naturally we had breakfast the next morning where I met his wife Annette and two daughters. We had not even taken a bite of our food when we started to exchange remembrances. He gave me the picture attached with him and Bill superimposed at the Wall. A unique picture, to say the least. I gave him a picture of himself in the 8th grade that he had given to Bill who somehow gave it to me. Now I was returning it to him 40 years later. On the back he had written a note of love ... "To Bill with love from Jack". I do not think the reality of this experience has set in yet for both of us. We did agree that the recent passing of his mother and another brother might have something to do with this reunion as well as Bill and, of course, God. See God does things on his timetable, not ours! You can imagine how this 4th of July has a very special meaning for us as well. We both knew freedom is not free but that Marine Pfc. William A. Fuchs Jr. killed in action on February 28th, 1966 in Vietnam has and will be remembered by Jack and my family as well as others who I have told this story to, has not died in vain for "no man is dead until he is forgotten". God bless you all and the United States of America. Carter J. Doering Brookfield, Wisconsin 53045 US Army - 1964-1967 US Marines - Foxtrot Co, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines Bill and his brother Jack at The Moving Wall Jack Fuchs and Carter Doering reunion after 40 years Picture of Jack that Carter carried for 40 years Carter Doering at Bill's grave site William Fuchs' name on The Moving Wall

14 Jul 2007 William, We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers. 1 Thessalonians 1:2 A friend of a friend, JC from PA Joycelyn C Kettren jdudleyas@aol.com

A Note from The Virtual Wall On 28 Feb 1966 Fox and Golf Companies, 2nd Bn, 1st Marines, were conducting a search and destroy operation on the Phu Thu Peninsula in Thua Thien Province. Fox 2/1 encountered a "heavy contact" which developed into a bitter fight with elements of a VC Main Force battalion. Fox 2/1 had 14 men killed in action before Golf 2/1 flanked the enemy from one direction and an ARVN battalion from another, forcing the VC to scatter and attempt a retreat. Golf 2/1 lost another Marine in the operation. The 15 men were Fox Company: Pfc Roger D. Bulifant, Belleville, MI Cpl Henry C. Casebolt, St Joseph, MO (Navy Cross) Pfc Warren L. Christensen, Hooper, UT Pfc William Fuchs, Milwaukee, WI Cpl Charles Johnson, Batavia, IL Pfc James B. Laird, Davenport, IA LCpl Larry E. MacDonald, Detroit, MI SSgt Edward J. McCarthy, Chicago, IL LCpl Andy McGuire, Chicago, IL LCpl Mark L. Morgan, San Bruno, CA Pfc Miguel E. Naranjo, Pueblo, CO Pfc Richard F. Nugent, Westwood, NJ (Bronze Star "V") LCpl Arthur C. Pederson, Minneapolis, MN Pfc Jose Torres, Sinton, TX Golf Company: Pfc James R. McLemore, Knoxville, TN

The point-of-contact for this memorial is a boyhood friend, Carter J. Doering, US Army 1964-1967 18645 Emerald Drive Unit E, Brookfield, Wisconsin 53045 cdoering@prodigy.net

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With all respect
Jim Schueckler, former CW2, US Army
Ken Davis, Commander, United States Navy (Ret)
Memorial first published on 09 Jul 2007
Last updated 01/01/08