18 May 2004 Edmond emigrated to the United States from Ireland just before his twentieth birthday. He resided with his sister and her familly in California and worked for the Pacific Gas & Electric Company until he was called up for National Service and was inducted at Fort Ord where he did his Basic Training, and was later assigned to the 82nd Airborne Divsion at Fort Bragg, N.C., where he qualified as a Senior Paratrooper. When his two year term was completed he was honorably discharged in the rank of Sp4. He immediately reenlisted and was posted to Okinawa, Japan, and was promoted to Sergeant E5 in 1961. He became a U.S. Citizen in March 1963 and in April was selected for Officer Candidate School (USAIS) at Fort Benning, Georgia. Later that year he graduated as a Distinguished graduate from Class 5-63. On receiving his Commission to Second Lieutenant he was posted to the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and qualified as a Master Paratrooper. In January 1964 he married his fiancee Teresa in St. Michael's Parish Church in Tipperary, Ireland. In May 1965 while Edmond was serving at Fort Knox their only child Chantelle was born. Edmond was posted to 8th Army in Korea in January 1966 but shortly after taking up his new assignment he was reassigned to 7th Army (USAREUR) in Germany where he served in appointments as S2-3 and later as G3. In early 1967 he was promoted to the rank of Captain and in September received his orders for service in Vietnam. He arrived at Tan Son Nhut Airbase Saigon on 29 February 1968 and was assigned to the 2nd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, and was posted to the 2nd Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, at the Thu Duc Water Treatment Plant. He served as S-2 (Intelligence Officer) under the command of LTC Max L. Waldrop. In April Edmond was appointed Company Commander of Alpha Company, 2/18 Infantry, located at the Thu Duc Electric Power Plant. On Wednesday 15 May 1968 while actively commanding his company in a Recce In Force operation near the village of Thu Duc, Captain Edmond J. Landers, callsign "Darkness Alpha Six" was killed in action along with seven other members of his command after his unit consisting of HQ CP and two Rifle Platoons was ambushed by an NVA/VC Battalion. For his actions that day Edmond was posthumously awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in action, Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, RVN Gallantry Cross with palm, and the National Order of Vietnam 5th Class along with many other awards. Many Irishmen including Edmond gave their lives on the battlefields of South East Asia during the Vietnam War, and in other wars throughout the world. They had, like generations of Irishmen before them, answered the call of their adopted countries and fought in defence of a free world. Rest In Peace, Gallant Warrior - You are remembered with Honor and Pride. From a nephew, Walter S. O'Shea wsos50@hotmail.com

 

A Note from The Virtual Wall A Company, 2/18th Infantry, lost nine men in the action at Thu Duc, about 8 kilometers northeast of Saigon: CPT Edmond J. Landers, Vacaville, CA (Commanding Officer) SP4 Benjamin N. Goldberg, Baltimore, MD SP4 Dennis I. Pedersen, Duluth, MN SP4 Donald F. Vogel, Chicago, IL SP4 Robert W. West, Huntington Beach, CA PFC Stanley W. Behm, Escondido, CA PFC Homer B. Bell, Tullahoma, TN PFC Thomas W. Bishop, Bluffton, IN PFC Thad B. Jessiman, Castro Valley, CA Captain Landers' decorations include the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Army Commendation, Good Conduct, National Defense, Vietnam Service, National Order Vietnam 5th Class, and the RVN Campaign medals, as well as individual awards of the RVN Gallantry Cross with Palm and RVN Civil Actions Medal 1st Class. Mr. O'Shea has placed considerably more information, with photographs, on his memorial to Edmond Landers Captain Landers' headstone in the Landers family plot in the Fifteenth Century Graveyard at Oola, County Limerick, Ireland. Photo by W.S. O' Shea ï¿ 1/2 2001

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