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Larrie Jack Gotcher
Specialist Four
A CO, 4TH BN, 12TH INFANTRY, 199TH INFANTRY BDE, USARV Army of the United States Citrus Heights, California November 15, 1945 to March 22, 1968 LARRIE J GOTCHER is on the Wall at Panel 45E, Line 55 |
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This man lies next to my friend John E. Nelson and I thought anyone of such honor and integrity should have a memorial to their sacrifice.
Bill McCormick |
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Larrie Jack Gotcher, the only son of Robert H. Gotcher and Louise Schoolcraft, was born November 15, 1945 in Alameda County, California. His parents split up when Larrie was little, and he was raised primarily by his father. Larrie attended elementary schools in Lincoln and Roseville in Placer County. As a freshman, he attended Encina High School in Sacramento, but in 1963 he graduated from San Juan High School. Larrie attended Taft Junior College in Kern County where he was voted most valuable football player in 1964. He also attended Sacramento State College. In 1967 he was drafted into the Army and deployed to Vietnam in November of that year. He was an Infantry Indirect Fire Crewman with A Company, 4th Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 199th Light Infantry Brigade. On March 22, 1968 in Bien Hoa, the platoon spent the day on a hard jungle sweep. Larrie was walking point as the Radio Telephone Operator when several Viet Cong were spotted. The men searched for the enemy, with Larrie and two others taking the lead. There was a huge explosion, later determined to be a 50-pound land mine and a US artillery dud rigged in a tree. Specialist 4th Class Gotcher, age 22, died instantly from a large chest wound. Two others in the platoon also were killed in action that day. Ironically, in Larrie's pocket was a letter he had been writing to his mother, part of which said not to worry; he was perfectly safe, desk-bound in a clerk job. Burial with full military honors was at the Veterans Court of Honor, Mount Vernon Memorial Park, Sacramento.
From a schoolmate, |
A Note from The Virtual WallA Company, 4/12th Infantry, lost three men on 22 Mar 1968:
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