American Valor Quarterly Issue 2 - Spring 2008 | Page 29

American Valor Quarterly - Spring 2008 - 29

U.S. Army Center of Military History

Joseph Galloway: We’re going to bring up next Specialist-4 Bill the ones who are with us today, and the ones who made it here
Beck, assistant machine gunner, A Company, 1st Battalion, 7th to Washington, DC on Veterans Day. I’ve been coming down
Cavalry, LZ X-Ray. You know in 1993, all of us here at this table here for 25 years—so have Tony and the rest of us. And I’ve
went back to Vietnam on a very special trip, and we went back always wondered why they did that year after year. But it is to
eventually to the battlefields with the enemy commanders. But meet those who are still around, and to share the good times and
before we did, we were all at a dinner on a floating Chinese the good memories, and never forget guys like Travis, that have
restaurant on the West Lake in Hanoi, and they scattered us at sacrificed and are sacrificing today. He will never be forgotten.
different tables, and Bill was seated at a table with George Forrest, And to have the privilege to sit at this table. How many people
and one of Col. An’s infantry colonels, who had been a lieutenant can say one of their best friends, and the guy they served next to,
at the battle of X-Ray, and through the interpreter he asked Beck, is a Medal of Honor recipient? That’s Bruce Crandall, here to my
“Where were you?” And Beck grabbed a napkin, and drew a right. I’m so honored to be with all of these gentlemen. Thank
quick sketch of the battlefield and the dry creek bed, and put an you, General Moore, and captains and colonels, and Joe Galloway.
“X” right beside it. And George helpfully reached over and next Without you, the rest of us would have been swept under the
to the “X” drew the symbol for machine gun. And the North rug, and nobody would have ever heard of us. Thank you very
Vietnamese colonel
much.
turned white, and his
Joseph Galloway:
mouth fell open, and
Before I turn from Bill
he gasped, and
Beck, I want to tell
through
the
you that I go over to
interpreter he said to
see him and his wife,
Bill, “Your machine
Jenny, every once in
gun killed my
awhile, and we’d go
battalion.
Four
partying a little bit in
hundred men. My
his hometown in
best friend, among
Steelton, PA, kind of
them, and I am
a rough mill town.
godfather to his
They’ve got a lot of
daughter. I just
good bars there, and
married her off last
we explored them all.
month. This is very
And what I found
hard for me.” And
Beck looked at him Men from Bravo Company under then-Captain John Herren advance at the X-Ray perimeter. was that Bill Beck is a
hero in Steelton for
and nodded, and
said, “Well, it wasn’t all that easy for me, either.” Bill, your mic. what he did on the battlefield, but he was a hero before that. On
a very tight game for the state championship basketball in
Bill Beck: Thank you, Joe. Those were tough times. It wasn’t Pennsylvania, which, believe me, is almost as big as high school
easy for us, either. Those men killed and wounded my friends— football in Texas, Bill Beck sacrificed himself. The other team
my best friends—guys to the right and left of me. What I would had a guy who would later go on to play and coach in the NBA
like to say right now is that I’m very humbled and honored to be and be a star, and he was kicking their butts. This guy was a 30-40
at this table, with these great Americans here. These combat point a game guy, and he was doing it to them, and Beck came
veterans who I fought with elbow to elbow. I’ve seen their actions up and just drew back and nailed him right on the chin, put him
in combat. I’ve seen what kind of men they were, and how brave down and out, and Steelton won the game! They had to have a
they were, and I followed them. I must have been out of my police escort out of town, but they won!
mind then! But when my company commander said, “Let’s
move!” we followed him. Each and every one of us. Because we Bill Beck: That’s not something I’m proud of!
believed in our leadership. And we had the best-damned leadership
you would ever want. I’m privileged to know these gentlemen Joseph Galloway: He says he’s not proud of it, but Steelton is!
and I thank you all. I know their actions, and the rest of our And you won’t find a better friend in a foxhole or a watering
friends who fought there, are some of the reasons I’m here today. hole than Bill Beck.
Everyone put in 110%, and it was called survival. And together
as a team, most of us made it back. George made a hell of a Now, flying “Tail End Charlie” on this panel is another great
statement just a minute ago that I had never heard. For years, I friend and raconteur, and equally adept at foxholes and watering
dwelled on the men we lost. My best buddies that I would never holes around the world: “Ancient Serpent Six” Bruce Crandall,
see again. I would only have memories of them. But George otherwise known as “Ol’ Snake Shit.” We were all there in February
said it best. We’ve got to focus on the ones who made it home, this year, when President Bush hung that blue silk ribbon and six