“You can’t just tell everyone the good; you have to tell them the bad, too, because it happened,” stated Former Custer County Sheriff and Vietnam War Veteran Larry Williams.
Williams was born in Kansas and, during his early infant months, moved to Weatherford, Oklahoma, with his family. He attended Weatherford Public Schools, where he would graduate high school in 1965. At just 19 years old, in the later part of 1966, Williams was drafted to join the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. At the time he was drafted, he was attending Southwestern Oklahoma State University. Being the last male subject of his family, running a farm, and attending college, Williams could have been exempt from serving in Vietnam.
“I felt as though it was my duty to serve. My father, grandfather, and great-grandfather all served in the military,” expressed Williams.
“Many of my friends chose college, and that’s fine; that was an exemption. I wasn’t really scared when I got drafted, but at that time, you knew what was going on. I needed to do this for my parents.”
Following the draft, Williams headed straight to basic training at Fort Bliss, Texas. There, the Army discovered that Williams possessed typing skills, which landed him at the Battalion Headquarters, where he worked as a clerk typist. Growing tired and dissatisfied with secretarial work, Williams volunteered to serve in combat in Vietnam. He served his country during the war for one year, 11 months, and 17 days, the deadliest year being 1968.
“The main compound that we stayed at when we were in the field was called Dong Ha, and my unit used dusters.”
The M42 Duster (fire dragon) was an air defense vehicle used by the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. It was an essential combat vehicle for various ground support missions. The Viet Cong called them “Fire Dragons” because of their high volume of fire, and tracer ammunition gave the appearance of a dragon’s breath. Their U.S. Army crews called them “Dusters” due to the large clouds of dust they created as they sped across the dirt roads of Vietnam.
“I was in charge of a crew of six soldiers, and a lieutenant was in charge of me. Last year, I lost my last crew member. They’ve all passed away except me, and I loved them all; they were brothers to me. George from Virginia, Mr. Music Man from Detroit City, Jackson from Dallas, Frog from Denver, George from Arkansas, and Lieutenant Wood.”
A time when Williams recalls true camaraderie is living with five men for those several months and knowing the true definition of trust.
“In such a small room, you’ll get to know everybody. You’re dependent on [your crew] to cover your back, and they’re dependent on you to cover theirs. That was real camaraderie. The most important part was the friendship and knowing if something happens, they’re right beside you,” said Williams.
The Vietnam War was a time of great controversy in the United States. Williams stated that 988 Oklahomans died during the war, 997 American soldiers were killed on their first day, and 1,448 soldiers were killed on their last day. During his service, Williams kept a diary that would later help him recall traumatic memories he had since forgotten.
“The brain can make you forget traumatic things, and my mind blocked out a lot of memories; getting blown out of a turret was one of them. It wasn’t until opening up and reading my diary that I could remember certain things,” noted Williams.
Williams completed his service in November of 1968. “I am proud that I went and of the whole thing. The hardest part, other than seeing a fellow soldier pass, was being away from my family. But you learn to cope with that. It sets you up to be motivated to go home. You start to say, ‘I’m going home, and you’re not going to stop me’.”
A few things Williams recalled was going down to Cam Lo, where you could find whiskey, watermelon, ice, and cigarettes. He remembered when he used his R and R, which you get once a year for one week, to go to Thailand. He expressed the not-so-much love he had for the c-rations, which were the United States Military ration consisting of prepared, canned wet foods.
Since completing his time in the military, Williams has accomplished many things. He was in law enforcement for 23 years, a firefighter for four years, and even a park ranger in Foss. He helped start the drug task force in Custer County and completed two terms as a Custer County Sheriff.
“All I’ve ever done was serve the public,” expressed Williams.
One thing very closehearted to Williams is the Vietnam Memorial Wall, a replica of Washington’s Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, and the turbine-blade converted into a mural to commemorate such veterans in Weatherford. Williams was an advocate for bringing the memorial wall to Weatherford and was able to help make this a reality as a way for those who wish to pay their respects and a means to see their loved ones who served names etched in stone. Today, Williams lives a venturesome life alongside his wife, Cara, and their two children, Chance and Candace.
You can see items such as boots worn in Vietnam, a canteen, hat brass, and a piece of a North Vietnamese rocket that hit his shoe donated by Williams to the Weatherford Museum’s Vietnam War Era setup.
“There’s so much that the public has forgotten, so I’m thankful when people spark an interest,” stated Williams.
Each Veterans Day, we want to thank those who served our nation. Our debt can never be repaid; we are truly grateful for your sacrifice.