Veterans gather in Opp for Vietnam-era reunion

When poor health sabotaged Ben Reynolds’ opportunity to attend a reunion of his old Army buddies last year in San Antonio, they thought so much of him they decided to bring the 2008 reunion to him.

Around 30 members of the 4th Infantry Division who served with Reynolds in Vietnam are in Opp today, reminiscing about the war. They will simply mention dates — Jan. 19, Feb. 26, Sept. 3 — and a rush of memories will overflow into stories and recollections.

Several times today, between glasses of sweet tea and dinner, the men will make sure they show how much they appreciate their first sergeant, “Top” Reynolds.

“He walked every step with us up in the Central Highlands of Vietnam and he fought every fight with us,” said Joe Jones, who served with Reynolds in 1968 for 10 weeks as a platoon leader before being wounded. He now lives in Athens, Ga,, and works in the computer programming business.

Jones recalled an intense battle with the North Vietnamese on Feb. 26, 1968, in which Reynolds was riding in a helicopter that was shot down near a special forces camp. Jones said one soldier died in the crash and another one was seriously wounded.

“There was another helicopter there, and he immediately found somebody to get that helicopter up to get back in the fight,” Jones said. “He didn’t have to go anywhere. He could have just stayed right there until the fight was over, but he wasn’t going to have any of it.”
Reynolds and his group went on to take the North Vietnamese headquarters in that area later in the day.

“Top would not ask you to do anything he wouldn’t do himself, very unusual for a first sergeant,” said Jessie Williamson, who was born and raised in Clio but now lives in Illinois.

He served under Reynolds and helped organize the Opp reunion. “We were kids and we needed somebody to kind of guide us and take care of us. If it hadn’t been for Top ... he took us through it and most of us made it out. Sadly, some didn’t.”

Williamson and Jones recalled a fierce firefight on Jan. 26, 1968. They said around a third of about 100 soldiers were either killed or wounded in just more than two hours. Six were reported missing in the minutes after the fight was over and five were located that day.

One, however, was never found. Today, the men will take a moment to honor and remember those who died and the man listed as Missing in Action.

Reynolds was 40 at the time, first sergeant over the group of about 100, most of whom were 21 or younger.

“They made me feel like a father,” said Reynolds, now 78. “You sleep together, fight together, work together. You’re together for a year and you get a feeling of closeness.”

Reynolds served two tours in Vietnam, remained with the Army until 1974 and retired as a sergeant major.

“I appreciate these men and I know they appreciate me because they show their respect and concern,” Reynolds said.