By Marijune Wissmann

Jack William Grandahl was twenty-one years of age when he was killed in South Vietnam on February 2lst, 1968, during the Tet invasion at CuChi, a city near Saigon.  He was attached to the 25th Infantry Division, Bravo Company.

His platoon was returning from a search and destroy mission where they had been ambushed by the enemy and suffered many wounded and killed. After the battle, the helicopters picked up the dead and wounded. Jack was young, but he could shoot and scout and was point man for his platoon leader. He was born and raised in Upper Michigan and that goes with the territory

While the helicopters roared above, Jack’s platoon leader asked Jack to check the jungle to see if there were any more wounded.  A single shot was heard; Jack had been shot by a sniper and was killed instantly. His body was carried aboard a helicopter and eventually to Michigan where he was buried with full military honors.

The whole town grieved for this brave young man. He was a star football player and loved by his family and friends, especially his grandmother. His grandfather had served in World War 1 and his Dad served in General Patton’s third army in World War 2.

A few weeks after the funeral, the local postmaster called the Sheriff’s office in this little town. A package had been returned to Jack’s grandmother from South Vietnam. It listed, “returned unable to locate recipient. The postmaster said he did not have the heart to return it to Jack’s grandmother, it would break her heart.

Coincidentally, the deputy was also Jack’s cousin so he took the package to his home, opened it and found beef jerky, candies and a beautiful valentine. His cousin kept the package and wept.

Thirty years later, a middle-aged man arrived in town looking for the Grandahl family. He stopped at the sheriff’s office to find out about Jack’s family and wanted to meet them. He wanted to apologize to the family, as he felt responsible for Jack’s death by sending him into the jungle to look for the wounded. The family had never heard the circumstances of Jack’s death and the coffin had been locked. The sheriff called Jack’s sister; his grandparents had passed away as had his parents. Jack’s friends came to the sister’s home and they all went to the cemetery for a graveside service.

When the group went to the sister’s home the officer became very emotional, he told the family and friends about the battle and the guilt he had lived with for thirty years and would never get over it. Jack’s sister invited the man to stay over for a visit and see the countryside and enjoy a boat trip on beautiful Lake Superior. He said he would come back with his family sometime.

Several years ago I met Dan Arguello, an Alhambra city councilman at an American Legion function; he was also stationed in Viet Nam with the Bravo Company, 25th Infantry Division, and had been seriously wounded, spent nine months in a military hospital recovering from his wounds. It had been a terrible time.

Losing a loved one in a war has an affect not only on the families, but also on other soldiers as well.  They have memories that will live with them forever and it is difficult to reconcile the reasons for the terrible experiences they have endured.  Jack will be in my thoughts forever as he was my nephew.