When Sam Sheetz was wounded pulling fellow infantrymen out of hostile fire in Vietnam he didn’t think of the homeruns he’d hit playing baseball as a youngster….or the touchdowns he scored playing halfback for Bel Air High School in the early ‘60’s….all the thoughts of homeruns or touchdowns were just as much a dream as the nightmare he was in right at that moment….
He told me ‘some guys never get over it…the Vietnam thing…they never scored a touchdown, never hit a home run…all they did was survive a war like me and lots of others…and lots more who didn’t score the touchdown and didn’t live to get the Silver Star, the Bronze Star or the Purple Heart…He did but you’d never know it.
“This doesn’t apply to the parents and families who lost a son or daughter in the war. For them the pain sometimes never goes away. When I speak of the war there are many aspects of unsung and ‘overblown’…that’s what I’m referring to…the ones who want to brag about heroics…the ones who never felt the ‘rush’…I’m not interested in those stories,” he notes as elbow grease polishes a cherry drop-leaf table in his shop.
Sitting still is hard for Sam to do…just sitting is hard because of his combat wounds. Only you can tell how you would feel when someone who’s been through the world of shit he has…speaks so blandly of it…to those who know, they do not speak…and often those who speak, do not know….the truth that is…truth and bravery have been instilled in Sam since early childhood and growing up in Harford County.
Sam came home and put his medals upstairs in his son’s bedroom and no one ever sees them in the fine shadowbox his wife, Carolann made for them. She is boldly proud of her husband of 35 years. Working as a secretary for Havre de Grace High School she knows the values of hard work and perseverance. Ten years ago Sam left his job with WHITEFORD Construction Company and started his dream, Grassy Creek Antiques. Today it is a burgeoning business in Churchville occupying four buildings and an assortment of 5 huge trailers.
Mondays he repairs and restores antiques he searches for up and down the East coast…Tuesdays he loads his truck and trailer with stuff that didn’t make the ‘cut’…Wednesdays he hauls out of his home in Aldino and by 5 a.m. is in Crumpton on the Eastern Shore. On the way home he may drop a line or two in Chester Creek, a rare break for a guy who never sits down and never dwells on heroics, let alone his own.
Thursday’s he is working again in his quaint shop behind his home. Fridays he has to pull ‘shop duty’ and is confined from 11 in the morning till close at 5…then it’s time for a Coor’s Light and a few friends over for food he enjoys cooking on the grill.
The weekends are jam packed with antique auctions, sometimes two or three a Saturday…and the occasional Sunday ‘public auction’ at a rented hall.
On Sundays he works more in the shop along Churchville road, rearranging and answering questions from folks who expect to see him there. Today he’s been asked to find a spool bed, old and in good shape, cheap, he says with a smile.
“Yep, find it clean, not broke and cheap….right!”
Loading and unloading delicate antiques…bringing them to a sheen with rubbing and stroking…and it all begins again on Monday.
When a man loves his work it doesn’t seem like work…and someone once said, “To do something you like and to be paid to do it….is the best of all situations to be in.”
In all the years since that terrible war he never speaks of it, never listens to others speak of it. He shrugs at guys who hang around the local 7-Eleven and boast of heroics while second generation ears hang on every word. And there are those who lie about their heroics…men like Sam Sheetz are likely to allow them short-shrift.
Dale Swanson, of Minnesota, a survivor from Sam’s Platoon, who readily admits he “owes his life to Sam” contacted Carolann Sheetz and said a fellow comrade was writing a book about Sam’s courage under fire.
The book deals with the events of May 7,8,9,10 and 11 of 1968…”when the LRRP (long range recon patrol) Team got into real trouble on the ridge south of Camp Evans.”, according to potential author, Randy Kimes. “Your (Sheetz’s) platoon was RRF (rapid reaction force), and inserted to ‘assist’ us getting out. Alpha Company was inserted on 09 May to ‘assist’ your platoon.”
Whatever the logistical confusion, the fighting was intense and the realities of war were unforgiving…only six out of the 40 men in Sergeant Sheetz’s platoon survived the ambush. The truth is the man in charge of Sheetz’s platoon ‘froze’ and Sam took over, calling in artillery…and ended up saving Kimes’ platoon as well.
Serving as squad leader with the second platoon of Company B, 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry, 196th Infantry Brigade Sam Sheetz’s squad was taken under fire, and quickly laid down his own base of fire. He then had the wounded moved to the rear of the platoon, while he moved forward to locate Kimes LRRP team.
Once that was done, Sheetz had three of his men evacuate the wounded, while he checked for more survivors. Next he called in ‘accurate artillery fire’ for the remainder of the night.
“The morning after was foggy, not good, but our guys held and we got back down the mountain after a company relieved us…and they went right into the same mess we were in. I think the North Vietnamese Regulars were using the LLRP as bait to get our platoon. “We were all over that country and within two weeks of getting there I knew with a map and compass exactly where I was, and it paid off calling in artillery accurately.”
While putting together the first draft of the book, Kimes contacted Swanson, looking for the man who had saved them. It was Swanson who vividly recalls the face of that football star from Aldino.
“Sam Sheetz is a hero and I wouldn’t be alive today if it weren’t for him,” Swanson declares with honest and open appreciation. “His personal heroism and devotion to duty saved what was left after a horrific ambush.
Today, Sam Sheetz admits he never thought he’d speak to anyone who was on that hill ever again. A Silver Star was awarded Sheetz for that act of bravery and single mindedness, as well as a Bronze Star and Purple Heart.
His wife said the call was a voice from the past and it gave her man reason to pause…after he hung the phone up he uttered those words again…
“They never hit a home run…never scored a touchdown, all they have is the war and they need to get over it. There are a lot of guys who died there and their families will never ‘get over it’…and there’s nothing that can be done about that.”
From one who’s been through a tough defense and firefights at night Sam Sheetz can say whatever is on his mind, without fear of contradiction. But mostly he doesn’t say a word…he doesn’t have to.
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Todd Holden writes from his home, Rustica, near Forest Hill, and doesn’t tolerate trespassers easily.
Thanks for the article Todd. More especially though thanks for your service Sam. Welcome home brother. I was in the 1st Cav at that time and in that same area. Nobody had any fun around that time. Thanks again.
I respectfully and humbly submit…..
When I was in an arty Batty in Germany in 77 we had 2 kinds of NCO’s. The first was the NCO academy nco. He could quote you letter and verse the manuals. The second was the Nco’s who had similar rank with many more years of service who were Viet vets. The latter were universally quieter and softer spoken. The latter were the same rank even though they had many more years in service. The latter in many cases were sloppier, more casual, and very rarely gung-ho. I noticed early on that the latter were respected by the officers in that the officers seemed to not mess with them as they would some of the more spit and polished , gung-ho NCO,s. I noticed that when things got serious the latter seemed to take control of the unit making the NCO academy crew look like amature hour.
The above mentioned soon was explained to me and a respect for these guys along with a thankfulness for their presence developed. Their experience’s and the lessons they possessed in their heads were infinitely more valuable than the reciting of a field manual.
I remember in one instance…the main reason this stands out so much to me….a gun crew was assembled from non gun bunny set of personnel. I remember this consisted of some persons who I thought were problem children and were kept off gun crews for a reason. One was a PFC…another was a screechy cook…another a POL (fuel) clerk. They were able to fire…move and fire….f-o, run fdc and set up and fire the m 109-a2 155 howitzers of the 2/20’s C Batty in circles around the regular gun crews. Same thing at ranges and in the field…when ever these guys were tapped to perform other than cooking or pumping fuel they ran circles around those gun bunnies that did it every day yet lacked the expertise and urgency that only comes from a situation where winning and second place means breathing or not.
I later learned that this particular crew was from an arty batty in viet that had been overrun at one time or another and had a special bond. One of them confided in me that they all possessed a few ghosts and demons that motivated them when necessary and haunted them in one way or another the rest of the time.
God bless them and their ghosts, may their demons remain forever asleep.
Im glad they were there … just in case.
Go Dagger ! !
I find it ironic. vet’s thanking vet’s for there service to this country. the north vietnamese (NVA) were a formidable enemy.what we called Hardcore. the demon’s & ghost’s still rise once in a while.
A certain smell. a noise. if your in to antiques, by all means stop in at grassy creek. they have a lot to see.
Gary owen & semper fi
I remember when that happened, but not all the details Todd included in his well-worded comments.
I submit the following: “Thanks, Sam.”
Hey Vet…my thanks goes out because they, the viet vets, were a life line to reality that wasn’t there in the nco’s we had that were post viet era. Its a thanks from the INSIDE….a thanks for sticking around and not leaving us post viet vets swinging in the breeze.
Of course there’s the other thanks anyone with a common decency shows to all who served…peace or war…popular or unpopular…drafted or not…for serving when called in what ever way they were called.
Personaly I feel a little strange when somone thanks me for my service even though I was ready and willing…I never saw a battle…cant Imigine the reality of it…thus I feel a little like a fraud when someone does thank me, considering what many did during their service compaired to the picnick I had.
I hope that explaines why I feel the way I do.
God bless them all !
Go Dagger !
Richiec it was nothing personal. if you ever visit the wall,you will find more wanna be’s than vet’s. as sam stated above he quietly’ listens as to how they ”won” the battles a lone.
I’am rarely found at a vfw or legion. I don’t need a reminder.
Wonderful and insightful article. I think all kids should read this-there is not nearly enough done for our veterans.
I can’t imagine what those who were in combat dealt with. God Bless each and every one.
Thank you for keeping us free!!
@ A Grateful American…thanks for the comment.
Every time I meet a soldier I thank them….any rank…any age. I remember my father’s few talks of Vietnam (never could get him to talk much about it) but the one thing I remember clear is his hurt for those that were home and demonstrating against the war. All those boys needed coming home was to be appreciated for the nightmare they were coming home from.
Gratefull american & sad. thank you both. it means alot. I by know mean’s intended to be little any vet. be it peace time or war. some time’s a little release can go a long way.
your half way a sleep. suddenly you hear whooshing noise. incomeing rocket’s a creak in the house. resemble’s the cocking noise of and ak – 47 assault rifle used by ( VC) viet cong. or ( NVA) North vietnamese force’s.
there loading and RPG rocket propelled grenade.Richiec the arty boy’s were some of my favorite people in vietnam. them and the fast mover’s. jet jockey’s. but then there were the medic’s & medi vac crew’s. vet’s one and all. yes Richie I do owe these vet’s a BIG THANK YOU for bringing me home. regard less of what there job was. we could’nt do it a lone.
Sem per fi & Gary owen
Vet,
You’re welcome.
I was born after my dad came home from Nam but my older brother was born and probably 4 or older before my dad returned. It brings tears to my eyes to think what life must have been like. My father has always been quiet about Nam and for the most part I grew up never hearing stories. I know his pride in what he did for this country and the first time I saw him weep privately was at the wall in DC. I thank God he didn’t come home with the deep scars that many men did. My dad was a helicopter pilot and I’m sure brought home many, some not lucky enough to board that copter breathing.
I never thought in my lifetime that I would know a war vet. I never thought in my lifetime I would be able to say goodbye to a friend because he/her lost their life in todays war.
I appreciate our soldiers past and present to the depth of my soul. You all are America. I solute you and thank you again!!!!!
Oh Vet…I never thought it was personal…..I know better my good friend.
Just saying my piece from my perspective….and I thought I might clarify a little.
Its a matter of respect that made me make the second post… you deserve a clear explanation !
Never had a doubt about you !
Go Dagger !
Sad you have every right to be proud of your father. they flew in to some of the most dangerous place’s in vietnam. they were our the ( GRUNT’S ) life line they choppered food mail ammo at the risk of being shot down.
Many were shot down. a lot of these pilot’s did not get the medal’s they deserved only because they felt they were doing there job. november 1968. kilo company 3rd battalion 26 marines are ingaged by a battalion of north vietnamese regulars
intent on wipeing the company out. we were surrounded. fighting was heavy all day. in to the next day. ammo is gone. grenades & k- bar’s are set aside. expecting hand to hand combat. can’t get and air strike there to close to us.
Two brave soul’s Helicopter pilots flew in to Hell it’s self. bringing ammo & removeing the wounded. the chopper was full of holes. my heart goes out to these brave men. one of them could have been your father. who helped save many lives. your father & many like him are unsung heroes.
As one of those helicopter pilots, I must add that we also had it one hell of a lot better than the guys we were supporting. In 2 tours over there, I only had 2 nights when I didn’t get back to my air conditioned room with cold beer and hot rations. The guys like Vet were lucky to get 2 nights in an entire tour when they slept in a bed. Yeah we saw and did a lot of crazy and dangerous stuff and yeah there was many a day that I wondered how my Huey kept flying with the abuse it had just taken, but we were only one part of the machine. We supported those grunts and never forgot it.
Dave Yansen….
You put it in a great perspective.
Go Dagger !