Article by Tom Coats

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I served with the 173rd Engineer Co. for over two years straight. As I met lots of people I feel I have friends who will never go away. I extended for the third time and left LZ English for a brief period at home before returning.
The day I got back myself and another close friend who had also extended found ourselves reporting to an empty landing zone. We spent the night in one of the bunkers we had used on many occasions. We had no weapons and no idea what had happened. To our surprise we learned the following day that the Unit had been redeployed while we were gone. No one notified us at home and we felt the emptiness of knowing most of our friends we had left would probably never cross our paths again. While the night passed we wondered if anyone even knew where we were.
I can actually say that was the only night I would never want to live thru again. Bill Miller was my friend and we got each other thru the ordeal by staying up all night talking and taking turns keeping a watchfull eye on the area we shared. God only knows what would have happened if anything had given us away. The next day we started our trek northward trying to find another unit to join up with.
As strange as it may sound we both ended up just short of the DMZ where we parted company for the last time. We couldn't believe that every unit we stopped at told us they didn't have a need for us and that there was nothing they could do for us. Five days without any sign of a weapon or any gear for that matter made us just a bit testy. I guess the good Lord wanted us to have to experience some sort of trial before he allowed us to land with another outfit.
When my time was finished I didn't temp fate again. I left for good and never looked back. Bill and I have only spoken a few times since then yet I know we both spend time reflecting on that night together. My only regrets are that I was never allowed to say good bye to all those I respected and served with before they all left. If anyone ever reads this and remembers us I bid them my best.
John W. Wayne
RVN 69-70-71