God Bless you "Red" and thanks for your service and sacrifice! In 2000 while working in the D.C. area, I had the honor of visiting the Vietnam Memorial Wall and touched his name - it was very emotional and rewarding. If you ever get the chance go see it - it is incredible. "Red" and I scrapped often especially when we were both centers for our respective grade school basketball teams! Our friendship grew however when we both became Refiners and played sports together. RIP big guy. From the wall: www.thewall-usa.com
TODD DUANE KELSO
SP4 - E4 - Army - Selective Service 1st Field Force
Length of service 1 years His tour began on Oct 25, 1967 Casualty was on Jun 10, 1968 In THUA THIEN, SOUTH VIETNAM NON-HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY VEHICLE CRASH Body was recovered
Red and my brother, Jon, were best friends, and I loved him as another big brother. They are both gone, but never to be forgotten. I'll never forget the Saturday mornings when Red would arrive at our house in his red and white Ford convertible, jump out over the door, come running in the house, swing and dance my Mom and I around the kitchen, and make us laugh till we cried! Red just loved fun, his smile and laugh live in my heart forever. Thanks for the great childhood memories! Love and Miss you still! Peggy Doughty Hartwell
I also ran my fingers over Reds name on the traviling wall, while it was in BigSpring, Texas, I spent some time there thinking of all the fights Red and I use to have, but we would be buddies the next day. And yes, Red loved that red and white convertible, we had some wild times in it and I'm sure some of you remember them. I was in the drug store having a milkshake when those officers pull up in that army car, my heart sunk, when they got out of that car, I knew what they were there for, it was awfully hard, I went home to my wife of 2 days and told her that one of my best friends was killed in Viet Nam, I was to be one of Reds balbears, but I had to go to Washington to do my two weeks of reserve training, I felt so bad when I had to tell Reds parents that I could'nt do it, that has really bothered me all these years. But I truly have alot of good memories of Red. Red, we will all be thinking of you and all our lost classmates at this reuion
Red and I were the Best Best Friends from the time that we were toddlers and both lived on Main St. We spent time at each other houses everyday, either, behind the drugstore or at the telephone company. I considered his mom, Irene, my adopted mom and he thought of my mom as his adopted mom. We played every sport including ice hockey, football, basketball, and baseball together until I moved to Southern California. I missed not being able to graduate with him in 1965. Whenever I returned to Sunburst for a visit Red was the first friend that I would contact. I was very saddened when I heard that Red had been killed in Vietnam. As a Vietnam veteran myself, I find peace and closeness when I put my hand on Red's name at the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, DC, the traveling "Wall that Heals" or just visiting the virtal wall on the internet. Anyone who has never visited either the wall or the traveling wall just go to www.vvfm.org and experienced it yourself.
Red, you will always be my Best Buddy and I miss you everyday. Thank you for your service to our country and giving your life for the cause of democracy. I look forward to someday being reunited with you. God Bless you and your family
Dearest Red, My heart goes out to you with such fond memories. I was all of maybe 5 years old and you were engaged to marry my Aunt Kay Johnston. As young as I was I could see how in love you guys were. You used to always pick me and my sister Erin up and throw us in the air and tickle us until we just couldn't take it anymore. I remember one time you and Kay took us to Sunburt to the soda fountain at the drug store for ice cream floats. All those times you spent with my mom and dad fishing, hunting and water sking. You were so alive and had such a good soul and spirit about you. I remember the day my Aunt Betty came over to give us the bad news of your death. I remember feeling so helpless and so sad. I just could not imagine not seeing you walk through that door. My Aunt Kay really never got over you, as I could always see it in her eyes. No one could ever replace what you guys had. Thank-you for loving me and my family and serving our country as bravely as you did You will always be in our hearts and our hero. I love you Uncle Red. Sue Anne O'Brien class of (1977)
David Dumon (1965)
God Bless you "Red" and thanks for your service and sacrifice! In 2000 while working in the D.C. area, I had the honor of visiting the Vietnam Memorial Wall and touched his name - it was very emotional and rewarding. If you ever get the chance go see it - it is incredible."Red" and I scrapped often especially when we were both centers for our respective grade school basketball teams! Our friendship grew however when we both became Refiners and played sports together. RIP big guy.
From the wall:
www.thewall-usa.com
TODD DUANE KELSO
SP4 - E4 - Army - Selective Service
1st Field Force
Length of service 1 years
His tour began on Oct 25, 1967
Casualty was on Jun 10, 1968
In THUA THIEN, SOUTH VIETNAM
NON-HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
VEHICLE CRASH
Body was recovered
Panel 58W - Line 20
Peggy Doughty (Hartwell) (1969)
Red and my brother, Jon, were best friends, and I loved him as another big brother. They are both gone, but never to be forgotten. I'll never forget the Saturday mornings when Red would arrive at our house in his red and white Ford convertible, jump out over the door, come running in the house, swing and dance my Mom and I around the kitchen, and make us laugh till we cried!Red just loved fun, his smile and laugh live in my heart forever. Thanks for the great childhood memories!
Love and Miss you still! Peggy Doughty Hartwell
David Dunk (1965)
I also ran my fingers over Reds name on the traviling wall, while it was in BigSpring, Texas, I spent some time there thinking of all the fights Red and I use to have, but we would be buddies the next day. And yes, Red loved that red and white convertible, we had some wild times in it and I'm sure some of you remember them. I was in the drug store having a milkshake when those officers pull up in that army car, my heart sunk, when they got out of that car, I knew what they were there for, it was awfully hard, I went home to my wife of 2 days and told her that one of my best friends was killed in Viet Nam, I was to be one of Reds balbears, but I had to go to Washington to do my two weeks of reserve training, I felt so bad when I had to tell Reds parents that I could'nt do it, that has really bothered me all these years. But I truly have alot of good memories of Red. Red, we will all be thinking of you and all our lost classmates at this reuionHoward Cook (1965)
Red and I were the Best Best Friends from the time that we were toddlers and both lived on Main St. We spent time at each other houses everyday, either, behind the drugstore or at the telephone company. I considered his mom, Irene, my adopted mom and he thought of my mom as his adopted mom. We played every sport including ice hockey, football, basketball, and baseball together until I moved to Southern California. I missed not being able to graduate with him in 1965. Whenever I returned to Sunburst for a visit Red was the first friend that I would contact. I was very saddened when I heard that Red had been killed in Vietnam. As a Vietnam veteran myself, I find peace and closeness when I put my hand on Red's name at the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, DC, the traveling "Wall that Heals" or just visiting the virtal wall on the internet. Anyone who has never visited either the wall or the traveling wall just go to www.vvfm.org and experienced it yourself.Red, you will always be my Best Buddy and I miss you everyday. Thank you for your service to our country and giving your life for the cause of democracy. I look forward to someday being reunited with you. God Bless you and your family
Howard
Sue O'Brien (1977)
Dearest Red, My heart goes out to you with such fond memories. I was all of maybe 5 years old and you were engaged to marry my Aunt Kay Johnston. As young as I was I could see how in love you guys were. You used to always pick me and my sister Erin up and throw us in the air and tickle us until we just couldn't take it anymore. I remember one time you and Kay took us to Sunburt to the soda fountain at the drug store for ice cream floats. All those times you spent with my mom and dad fishing, hunting and water sking. You were so alive and had such a good soul and spirit about you. I remember the day my Aunt Betty came over to give us the bad news of your death. I remember feeling so helpless and so sad. I just could not imagine not seeing you walk through that door. My Aunt Kay really never got over you, as I could always see it in her eyes. No one could ever replace what you guys had. Thank-you for loving me and my family and serving our country as bravely as you did You will always be in our hearts and our hero. I love you Uncle Red. Sue Anne O'Brien class of (1977)Marilyn Beecher (Lotvedt) (1956)
Yes, I too visited Red's memorial in D.C., and actually took a picture of his name & brought
it back for his Mom to view. He was a real kick in the Koepke/Beecher neighborhood, and
we loved Red dearly. Marilyn Beecher Lotvedt