16 Feb 2007 Robert James Sanders was killed at the young age of nineteen while serving his country. I decided on this special tribute to him because he came from the neighborhood where I grew up in Philadelphia. Athough I did not know this boy personally, he was the brother of my sister's best friend. I remember visiting his house one day with my sister and I recall seeing a picture of him on their stereo in his uniform. I cannot remember the date of that incident, so he may have already been killed in the Vietnam War by that time. I wonder if he died before that day. I don't even know. Even those of us who did not lose a family member to the Vietnam War, have a memory or two that comes to mind whenever we think back to the turbulent decade of the 1960's. From a friend's sister, Barbara Malone bfmuldrake@comcast.net

 

A Note from The Virtual Wall Robert J. Sanders, W. Fisher Avenue, Olney - Sanders wanted to become a paratrooper and joined the Army in September 1965 after graduating from Olney High School. The 19-year-specialist four, a rifleman and automatic weapons specialist, was sent to Vietnam and was assigned to Company C of the 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry, 173rd Airborne Brigade, 101 st Airborne Division. Sanders died on November 19, 1967, while dragging wounded comrades to safety when his unit came under heavy fire. A box of dinnerware Sanders had bought in Thailand for his family as a Christmas gift arrived home four days after his death. Sanders was survived by his parents and a sister. Photo and text from The Philadelphia Daily News Robert Sanders died in the bitter fighting for Hill 875. Two Medals of Honor, three Distinguished Service Crosses, and numerous Silver and Bronze Stars were awarded the men who fought there between 19 and 23 November 1967 - but at least 127 Americans died there as well, with hundreds more wounded. A summary of the battle and a listing of the men who died during the fighting may be found on The Virtual Wall's Hill 875 Memorial

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