вЂњItвЂ™s easy if you have come as close to dying as many times as those of us from Delta Company have,вЂќ he said.

In a 2001 interview for a website maintained by his former Marine Corps unit - Delta Company, 1-5 - Thoms said that he woke up happy every day. Inspired by his fearless leadership and aggressive fighting spirit, his men successfully routed the enemy and seized the tower.вЂќ

вЂњAlthough wounded by hand grenade fragments, Staff Sergeant Thoms selflessly refused medical treatment and resolutely continued the attack despite continuous North Vietnamese fire. вЂњWhen his attack was momentarily halted due to casualties and the increasing intensity of hostile fire, he moved to the point of heaviest contact and aggressively led an assault against the tower,вЂќ the citation said. The unit includes Sergeant John Merrill, machinegunner Jim Walsh, sniper Sonny Armstrong, grenade launcher operator Carl Dillan and combat engineer Bill Kirby. Thoms repeatedly exposed himself to enemy hand grenades and automatic weapons fire as he led his men to within yards of the tower, the Silver Star citation said. The US campaign Search and Destroy focuses on a team of elite special forces soldiers, and each one of them has a personality. Bob was one of the folks who was instrumental in helping us secure that.вЂќ Having left Vietnam in late 1966, I returned to the states ignorantly believing that the war was going wellmore roads were open.etc, only to see, just a few months later, the Tet Offensive, to me a real turning point in the War, as I began to realize how brainwashed I had been during the 50вЂ™s and 60s. вЂњThe enemy was up there pouring down fire on us, so it had to be eliminated. вЂњIt was the high ground overlooking the zone of action,вЂќ he said. The tower was one of the crucial objectives for U.S. вЂњBob took over the platoon, which was actually probably more like a reinforced squad at the time.

вЂHe led the chargeвЂ™ For good or bad, the Battle of Hue remained a defining moment in his life.Дuring the initial assault on Dong Ba Tower, ThomsвЂ™ lieutenant was wounded and evacuated, Harrington said. вЂњHe was a tough Marine, a warrior even after he had to retire from the Marine Corps, often with a heightened sense of justice to fight for what was right and to protect the defenseless from anyone who tried to take advantage of them.вЂќ

Man of war vietnam happy tet day