<p>
“We die with the dying:<br />
See, they depart, and we go with them.<br />
We are born with the dead:<br />
See, they return, and bring us with them.”</p>
<p>
T.S. Eliot</p>
<p>
<em>Louis John Speidel</em> was born in London, England on 23 April 1946, but grew up in Milford,Ohio. He graduated in 1964 from Milford High School, fourth in his class of 450, member of the National Honor Society, active on the track team, and lead drummer of the school band and orchestra. He was also vice president of his high school class. During the spring of his senior year, John received, among other academic honors, appointments to both the Coast Guard Academy and to West Point, and chose to enter the US Military Academy with the Class of 1968 on 1 July 1964.</p>
<p>
When we think of John as a cadet, we remember his consistent willingness to help his classmates. He was a good student and was always able to explain a difficult idea or concept to his less academically gifted friends. We also remember his love of music, not only his participation in the cadet band, but also listening to the records popular in those days. Among his particular favorites were the Four Seasons and the Beach Boys.</p>
<p>
John was well liked by all of his company mates. Many of our weekends during upperclass years were spent playing golf with John. After we had our cars in firsty year, we tried out most of the courses in the area. He was as enthusiastic a golfer as we have ever known, and continued this love even after graduation. In the winter we switched to squash; countless games whenever time permitted.</p>
<p>
During his first class year, John joined the Rocket Society. He was deeply interested in the exploits of past USMA graduates who had become astronauts. He thought that one day he might try to get involved in the astronaut program himself, and that was probably one of the inspirations that led him to get his wings.</p>
<p>
John was commissioned in Armor and, after Ranger school and the Officers Basic Course, he was stationed in Germany with Company C, 1/64 Armor. Upon his return to the US, he entered flight school and was married on 20 June 1970 to Ellen Early, his high school sweetheart. He graduated from the Officer Rotary Wing Aviation Course at Fort Rucker on 3 November 1970. John left for Vietnam a few days after Christmas in 1970.</p>
<p>
He was assigned to Troop B, 2d Squadron, 17th Cavalry, 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile). On his 25th birthday, 23 April 1971, John was piloting a UH1H on a resupply mission for a Ranger team dug in on a mountainous ridge line near the A Shau Valley. Although John got in and dropped his passengers and supplies without difficulty, the helicopter came under intense enemy machine gun and small arms fire upon liftoff. The aircraft crashed only 150 yards from the Ranger team position, but due to heavy enemy activity it took 48 hours and the insertion of another infantry company to reach John, who was pinned in the cockpit and severely wounded. He was evacuated to Phu Bai, and then to an Army hospital on Okinawa. John died of his wounds on 25 June 1971.</p>
<p>
His commanding officer wrote of John as a fine leader, an outstanding officer, and an exceptionally brave man. His mother, who was with him for his last seven weeks in Okinawa, remembers his bravery in those final, painful days. As was his character, through his last ordeals, he never complained, never was bitter, and his only concern was for his friends left behind in Vietnam. He was awarded the Purple Heart and, posthumously, the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Bronze Star.</p>
<p>
John is survived by his wife Ellen; his daughter Gretchen, born only six weeks before he died; and by his mother and father, Mr. and Mrs. Louis Speidel, now living in Palm Harbor, Florida.</p>
<p>
“We shall not cease from exploration<br />
And the end of all our exploring<br />
Will be to arrive where we started<br />
And know the place for the first time.<br />
Through the unknown, remembered gate<br />
When the last of earth left to discover<br />
Is that which was the beginning”</p>
<p>
T.S. Eliot</p>
<p>
We stand by the black granite memorial walls, an attendant takes a rubbing of your name, the emotions of loss flood our eyes and we walk slowly away, the memories locked for almost twenty years, rushing back. We, the survivors, have aged and gray is coming to our hair; you, who died on those fields half a world away, are never forgotten. Though years may separate us from the time, they can never separate us from your memory.</p>
<p>
Rest in peace, brave soldier and dear friend.</p>
<p>
From his roommates, <em>Dale</em> and <em>Dan</em></p>
<p>
</p>