27 Feb 2004 Paul was always the uncle I could barely remember. He was killed when I was only 5 years old. Some of the things I have as first memories are of going to the train station at midnight to meet his body. As he was one of the first for Lawrence county over half the town of Mitchell turned out as well. I remember the Colonel who escorted his body back (Col Wilmer). He had always said that Paul died on the Chu Pong mountain, but as a young child I couldn't find that on a map anywhere. I remembered it as Shoe Pong, not Chu so I never would of found it. However in later years I have read a lot of fiction stories and one was talking about the early days of the war and mentioned the Ia Drang Valley. I did a search at the local library and came up with the book "We were Soldiers Once... and Young". Much to my suprise Paul's name was listed in the dedication. At last I got to know the full story. Paul has always influenced my life even after his death. I served 4 years in the United States Marine Corps from 1978-1982. I still visit his grave in our local veterans section of Cresthaven Memorial Gardens. I still miss the uncle I barely knew.

 

Staff Sergeant Paul E. Tolbert died in the fighting in the Ia Drang Valley November 1965. Visit the Landing Zone X-Ray site and The Virtual Wall's Ia Drang Memorial

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