James Gregory Lega
Specialist Four
B CO, 1ST BN, 6TH INFANTRY, 198TH INFANTRY BDE, AMERICAL DIV, USARV
Army of the United States
Canoga Park, California
February 20, 1949 to January 10, 1970
JAMES G LEGA is on the Wall at Panel W14, Line 23

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James G Lega
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29 Feb 2008

In August, 1969 I came home on 30 days leave with orders for Viet Nam. I found out that my friend Jim was also home on leave before going to Viet Nam and managed to get in touch with him two days before he left. We talked for a couple of hours about the past and the future that we both hoped that we had. We talked about mutual friends whose names were already on the Wall. Jim was an 11C (mortars) and I was an 91A (medic). We both knew that we were going into harm's way.

Jim went to the 198th Brigade and I ended up in the 196th Brigade, both of the Americal Division and both in Chu Lai. We were that close to each other and we never knew it. Well, our jobs kept us kind of busy.

Jim was one of the nicest people you could ever know. He had a great sense of humor and the glass was always half full. He always treated people with respect and putting people down was just not his style.

When I found out about his death, I was told that he had stepped on a mine. But the Army has listed his death as non-hostile, died of Other Accident. I hope anyone who was there could shed some light on how he really died.

Rest in peace, my friend, you have earned it. When we see each other again, we will have a lot to talk about.

Jim

James A. Ryel
jamesryel@att.net


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