(ME) GREG PAYNE MY MILITARY HISTORY AND MY AGENT ORANGE MEDALS AWARDS AND MY WORK FOR THE VETERANS.

PATRIOT GUARD RIDERS

MY "SILVER ROSE MEDAL AWARD"

EVENTS THAT CHANGED THE COURSE OF MY

LIFE FOR EVER!

(ME) GREG PAYNE

2008

APRIL 18,1967

In remembrance I, GREGORY PAYNE, WAS ONE OF THE STUDENTS SITTING WITH THOMAS ALLEN METTERT, MARINE CPL ROBERT ARNOLD METTERT's YOUNGER BROTHER WHO GAVE THAT FATEFULL TALK THAT DAY ON APRIL 27th, 1967 IN MRS. VIRGINIA RICHARDS "CWP" CLASS (CONTEMPORARY WORLD PROBLEMS CLASS)WHOSE HUSBAND INCODENTLY WAS A CIVILIAN WAR CORRESPONDANT AT THE TIME AND VERY COINCIDENTLY MET BOB METTERT OVER THERE AND ACTUALLY WITNESSED HIS DEATH, FIRST HAND BEFORE THE MARINE CORPS HAD A CHANCE TO NOTIFY THE FAMILY, BECAUSE THEY WERE BOTH FROM VANCOUVER, WASHINGTOPN AT THE TIME HE NOTIFIED HIS WIFE LONG DISTANCE FROM DANANG, VIETNAM AND TOLD HER OF THE EVENT!!!!! IT WAS HELL ON MRS. RICHARDS BECAUSE SHE HAD TOM METTERT IN HER CLASS AND SHE COULD NOT FACE HIM WITH THE TRUTH THAT SHE WAS SWORN TO SECRECY NOT TO TELL THE FAMILY, UNTILL THE MARINE CORPS HAD GONE THROUGH THE APPROPRIATE STEPS TO DO SO FIRST!!!!!!! TOM METTERT AND I GRADUATED FROM HUDSON"S BAY HIGH SCHOOL IN JUNE OF 1967!!!!! My being both long term friends with alot of these people go back as far as 1956 for me, as well as being FAMILY as well to one! Picture and remembrance supplied by his friend, Gregory Payne

THE COLUMBIAN

Shell Fatal To Marine in Vietnam The war in Vietnam has again been brought close to home, as the death of Marine Cpl. Robert Arnold Mettert of Vancouver was confirmed Wednesday night by the Defense Department. The corporal, son of Mr. and Mrs. John E. Mettert, 1208 Brandt Rd., was killed last Sunday in the vicinity of Khe Sanh, to become the 11th member of the armed forces with Clark County ties to die in Vietnam. Mrs. Mettert said she was first notified of her son's death Tuesday, but official confirmation did not come until the following evening. He was said to have died of chest wounds suffered from an exploding 81mm mortar shell. The 20-year-old Leatherneck had just arrived back in Vietnam for his second tour of duty. Mrs. Mettert said he had served 13 months there, before coming home on leave last March. He volunteered to go back and left here 21 Apr (1967) arriving in Vietnam just seven days before he met death. Mettert was born 14 Dec 1946 at New Castle IN. He was a 1965 graduate of Hudson's Bay High School and a member of the St. Joseph's Catholic Church. He had been a Columbian paper boy for about five years from 1959 to 1963. In addition to his parents and his brother at home, the corporal is survived by another brother, Thomas, and sisters, Mary Ann and Joan, all at home. Mrs. Mettert said the funeral arrangements will be made by the Vancouver Funeral Chapel when the body arrives from overseas with the services to be held at St. Joseph's Church. She also noted that thought she appreciates the sentiment, she would prefer not to receive flowers at her home. (The Columbian, Vancouver WA, 11 May 1967)

Funeral Due For Marine Killed In 2nd Viet Tour.
Cpl. Robert Mettert of the U.S. Marines will be buried in Willamette National Cemetery with full honors Monday morning.
He could be taking it easy in a soft assignment Stateside, but he died instead, in battle near Khe Sanh, just below the DMZ in South Vietnam.
He was struck by an 81-mm mortar fragmant in the chest. "We did everything we could to save him." one of his buddies wrote," but it was no use."
That was Sunday, 7 May (1967). Ten days later Mettert's body came home in a sealed coffin, marked "body unviewable."
The rosary will be recited at 7:30 p.m.,Sunday at the Vancouver WA Funeral Chapel.
Corporal aged 20.
Cpl. Mettert, son of Mr. and Mrs. John E. Mettert, 1208 Brandt Rd., Vancouver WA was 20. He had already served his 13 month tour in Vietnam. He would have automatically returned to a quiet stateside assignment for six months. But he volunteered to return to the thick of the fight near Khe Sanh. Why? To save some money he told his mother.
"He was determined to pay his own way through college," she recalls. But the truth came out when he talked to a class of seniors at Hudson's Bay High School, where he was a graduate with honors in June, 1965. "It may sound corny," he told his schoolmates last month, during his last home leave," But I happen to love my country. We had to fight for our freedom, when we were getting started. Now we are a rich and powerful nation and I feel we have an obligation to help others fight for their freedom."
Fear Admitted
"Aren't you Afraid?, the students asked.
"Sure Im afraid whenever I go into action, I'AM RUNNING SCARED." he said. "Everyone is but you get so busy you don't think about yourself. "You know you can get it any day," he told his teachers " I've said goodbye to everyone."
That was his last day at home, 21 Apr (1967). He was back in Vietnam by April 30. His mother got a letter dated 3 May (1967) telling about some hot fighting for Hill 831 near Khe Sanh, but assured his mother he was back in the safety and comparative comfort of Camp Carroll, the main Marine artillery plateau.
He was in command of a squad and had been recommended for promotion to sergeant. Four days later he was dead, just seven days after starting his second tour of duty in Vietnam.
His brother, John, now at home, also volunteered to serve two sucessive tours of duty 19 months as a Marine Corporal in Vietnam. John was released from active duty 4 April, 1967.
Mr. and Mrs. Mettert have a son, Thomas A., and two daughters, Mary Ann and Joan Renee at home. Cpl. Metterts survivors also include an aunt, Sister Antonetta, a nun at Dayton OH, and the grandmother, Mrs. Amanda Mettert of Newcastle IN.
Cpl. Mettert was a junior dealer for the Oregonian for five years before enlisting. (Oregonian, Portland OR, 20 May 1967)