Purple Heart recipient shares his Vietnam War experiences

A three-time recipient of the Purple Heart shared his experiences during and following the Vietnam War with members of the Rayne Rotary Club on Thursday, Sept. 10.
Lloyd King, Jr. of Lafayette also talked about the Military Order of the Purple Heart which is comprised solely of combat veterans of all military service branches who shed their blood on the battlefield.
As the former Army staff sergeant described his war experiences and the loss of friends in combat, he passed around his helmet dented by a sniper’s bullet, which would have killed him if he had not turned his head a moment before the bullet struck and passed along his head.
A member of the Military Writers Society of American, King earned a gold medal in 2006 for his book of poetry. Titled “From ‘Nam with Love, an Infantry Soldier’s Vietnam,” the book recounts his wartime experiences in verse.
Though he offered dramatic instances of combat, King’s also related in vivid terms the harassment he experience as he was discharged in 1969. He of being greeted at the gates of the Army post by “Moonies”
who harangued he and his fellow soldiers with choruses of “Baby Killers,” and pelted them with eggs and rotten vegetables.
He noted that though half of soldiers in his platoon were killed in the war, “We never lost a fire fight.” He quickly remarked, “The war was lost in the United States.”
King related how he still suffers nightmares, cannot tolerate anyone standing behind him and has “hit the ground” when hearing sudden loud noises.
He admitted that he generally doesn’t like to talk about the Vietnam War. Nevertheless, he said, “I believe in freedom and I will do what I need to do to defend freedom.”
As a former president of Lafayette chapter 504 of the Military Order of the Purple Heart King described members as “a unique group of veterans.” The chapter contains 59 members, but because of their ages, only about 15 are able to attend chapter functions. The chapter currently has one Purple Heart recipient each from war in Afghanistan and Iraq.
The Purple Heart medal is the oldest medal still in existence awarded to American war veterans. It can be linked back to the Badge of Military Merit, the oldest known U.S. military decoration established by General George Washington in August 1782.
The Purple Heart medal was restored by General Douglas Mac Arthur in World War II.
Today, the organization contains about 41,000 members served in 470 chapters.
It’s service foundation raises funds for service, welfare and rehabilitation of any wounded, disabled or handicapped veterans, widows, orphans or survivors.