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Only a few days after his twenty-fourth birthday. Captain <em>Hampton Allen Etheridge III </em>was killed in Vietnam when his unit was hit by an enemy rocket and mortar attack.</p>
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Allen was born 29 June 1945 in Crossett, Arkansas. He showed the “stuff he was made of" during his high school years. Allen lettered in football, basketball, and track; was Vice-President of his Senior Class and President of the Key Club; was awarded the sportsmanship award when he graduated, was a member of the National Honor Society, Student Council Youth Center Board, Science Club, and Mixed Chorus; attended Boys State; and edited the 1963 school Annual. Kind of hard to imagine any one person being able to do all of this and still find time for school. Out of all of this, Allen did and graduated in 1963. He then received an appointment to the United States Military Academy and entered in July 1963.</p>
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It was my pleasure to be able to room with Al for two full years. His continuing bouts with the Academic Departments were well known among his associates. But he still always had time to help a friend in need. Never one to take the easy road, Al naturally made the hardest events in track his specialty.</p>
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No one looked forward to mail any more than did Allen. Most of the time his mail was from Susan Smithers whom he married on 7 June 1967, the second member of our Class to be married in the Cadet Chapel.</p>
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After attending several Army schools, which included Ranger and Airborne training, Al was assigned to the 82d Airborne Division, Fort Bragg. While there, Al was trained as a Pathfinder. He later received advisor training before going to Vietnam in December 1968. I am sure that Al must have thought that this was best for his country.</p>
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Allen is survived by his wife Susan, his parents Mr. and Mrs. Hampton Allen Etheridge Jr., his brother Samuel A. Etheridge, all of Crossett, a twin sister Mrs. Wiley W. (Susan) Dugger Jr. of Dallas, Texas, his grandparents Mrs. Ruth Shaver and Mr. and Mrs. Hampton A. Etheridge, also of Crossett.</p>
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Probably nothing could better describe Allen than the caption under his picture in the school Annual, "No matter how tough the going, Allen always gave all he had.”<br />
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