In June 1968, Floyd Alexander graduated from high school in Jerseyville, Illinois and went to work at a local steel company. By 1969 he had decided to volunteer for the draft rather than wait to be called. He took Basic Training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, then AIT at Fort Sill, Oklahoma for artillery. The need for men in Vietnam was high, and he went almost directly from Fort Sill to his thirty-day leave and then to Vietnam, starting his tour on December 22, 1969.
His first assignment was with B Battery, 2nd Battalion, 319th Artillery at Fire Support Base Jack — a low hill in the flatlands just east of the mountains and jungle, west of Camp Evans and Camp Eagle in I Corps. The base could be re-supplied by road when weather grounded the helicopters, making it a practical base during the rainy season.
In April 1970, Firebase Ripcord was reopened and B 2/319 moved to the hill to provide fire support for troops in the area. Shortly after arriving, Floyd was selected to replace Jim Hill as RTO for Forward Observer Lieutenant Tom Brennon, attached to Alpha Company under Captain Burkert. By the end of May, Captain Hawkins had replaced Burkert, and in June Lieutenant Steve Olson replaced Lieutenant Brennon — but Floyd remained as RTO throughout.
Alexander and Lieutenant Olson quickly became close friends, feeling like brothers. Floyd was invited to be Olson’s best man at his wedding planned for his return to Georgia in 1971.
Day to day, the tour was hard walking through jungle with occasional NVA encounters and hot LZs. Floyd was glad to be off the firebase itself, where sniper fire and mortar rounds dropped in without warning.
On the morning of July 22, Floyd was standing next to Lieutenant Olson as usual, the company preparing to move out. Two platoons were ahead of them and one behind. Suddenly rifle fire and explosions erupted from the front. Everything happened fast.
Lieutenant Olson stood to assess the situation. Floyd grabbed him and tried to pull him down. At that moment Olson was struck by an RPG and killed instantly. Nearby, Sergeant Wagnon — the secure radio operator — had a satchel charge explode in his face, blinding him. Floyd, standing between the two men, received only minor shrapnel wounds.
Alexander spotted five NVA soldiers by a tree up the hill. He emptied his magazine at them and saw them all go down. During the battle he watched a medic named Fry get killed while trying to treat a wounded soldier. He saw Sergeant Long, their Vietnamese interpreter, get shot in both legs and bleed to death before anyone could reach him.
Believing Wagnon was dead, Floyd was about to leave when he heard him call out. Unwilling to leave him behind, Floyd lay down beside Wagnon and covered his head with his arm and chest. The two pretended to be dead as the battle raged around them for hours. Reports later confirmed that NVA soldiers had moved among the American dead and wounded, shooting again to make certain. They came within a few yards of Alexander and Wagnon before being driven back by American fire.
As the battle wound down, Floyd crawled toward the American lines, called out “Currahee,” heard the response, and went back to bring Wagnon in. Through the long night that followed, he helped Captain Hawkins call in artillery fire — all the while certain the NVA would return and overrun Alpha Company before dawn.
“I remember being scared, praying, and just wanting to go home.”
On July 23rd, Delta 2/506 walked in and helped extract Alpha Company. Floyd was treated for his wounds. The numbness in his leg lasted a long time — and even today it comes and goes.
A week after July 22nd, Floyd had a new Forward Observer and was back walking the jungle hills with Alpha Company. He received an early out and left Vietnam in November 1970, then finished his enlistment at Fort Hood serving on an honor guard.
Back in Jerseyville, he returned to work at the steel company until it closed 25 years later, then worked for the state highway department until retirement. Three years after his service, he married Diane Crotchett, who has loved and encouraged him ever since. They have two daughters and four grandchildren.
“Life is good.”
