23W, 1

Died. Small arms fire. Ground casualty. Body recovered.

Dossier

1.   ARMY PFC HENRY R HAUSMAN JR, 19, 203 HAMILTON RD, HILLIARD, FORMER OUTSTANDING ATHLETE AT HILLIARD HIGH SCHOOL, IS KILLED IN VIETNAM ON MAY 27* Publication: Columbus Dispatch  Date: Wednesday, June 4, 1969  Page: 1 B
- Columbus News Index

Last Name HAUSMAN
Given Names HENRY RICHARD JR

Age: 19
Race: Caucasian
Sex: Male
From: HILLIARD, OH
Religion: METHODIST
Marital Status: Single
PFC - E3 - Army - Regular
1st Infantry Division

Last Rank: Private First Class
Last Service Branch: Armor
Last Primary MOS: 11D-Armor Reconnaissance Specialist
Last MOS Group: Armor (Enlisted)
Service Years: - 1969

Date of Birth 19490720 07/20/1949
Service A Army
Component R Regular
Rank PFC Private First Class
Grade and posthumous promotion E3
Service Occupation 11D20 Armor Intelligence Specialist (ARMY)
Actual Date of Casualty 19690527 05/27/1969
Actual Date of Death 19690527 05/27/1969
Tour Date 690317 03/17/1969
Posthumous decoration
Casualty Type A1 Hostile, Died
Reason D Gun, Small Arms Fire
Air no Air 7 Ground Casualty
Body Recovered
Country VS South Vietnam
Province 14 Phuoc Long
Casualty Location
1 INF DIV  2ND INF RGT
Major command, eg division or brigade 1st Inf Div
Company/battery/troop or similar level unit HHC
Battalion or similar level unit 2nd Bn
Regiment, ROAD 2nd Infantry

Home of Record City HILLIARD
Home of Record State Code Ohio

Observations

Headquarters Company, 2/2nd Infantry, lost two men on 27 May 1969 - 1LT James W. Clark of Reno, Nevada, and PFC Henry R. Hausman. There were 242 Americans killed that week in Vietnam. Their photos appeared in the June 27, 1969 issue of LIFE Magazine: "Vietnam: One Week's Dead". Henry's photo appears on page 23 in the first row.

"Was with Henry the day he was killed. I was wounded along with a lot of other Guys. Henry was a mild mannered individual. Everyone liked him. I've thought of him a lot since that day." - Elwood  Bengry, Brother in arms.

On Hamilton Road, growing up, he was Rick - not Henry. He was the oldest of three. His dad had a dry cleaning business. Early in the summer of 1960, when I was six, and Rick was ten, he shot me. By accident. Weeks later, after I had returned home from the hospital, he brought me an ant farm. He was very sorry.

Rick was always the guy-who-shot-me. There was no grudge or anything. Stuff happens. And it let me be the kid-that-got-shot. The wound and the surgery left scars that require explanation every time my shirt comes off in an examining room. These days they are joined by other scars.

All of which is to say, even though I didn't know him that well, Rick left a mark that cannot be undone. I knew plenty of guys who went Vietnam, he was the only one I knew who died there. The others came back. Some all the way. Of course Rick came home, too.

Observances

When Rick was buried, my oldest brother was serving his first of two tours in Vietnam. A blue star banner hung in our front window for a couple of years. Vietnam took Rick in two months; my brother 30 years later. They are both buried at the Wesley Chapel Cemetery a few miles outside Hilliard.

Today, little flags will decorate both their graves.


This day used to be called Decoration Day because that's what folks did. Since around the time of the Civil War, people would decorate the graves of those killed in war. It was observed on May 30. Over the years it came to be called Memorial Day, then was named so officially in 1967. A year later, the Uniform Monday Holiday Act moved the observance to the last Monday in May to create a three-day weekend. There are in many places parades on this day.

We usually plant our garden that long week-end. As we did this year.

With long week-ends, parades, and gardens we move through the day and move on. We pivot into summer and all that summer is. We cannot carry long the weight of this day, so we give it over to stone - granite, marble, gabbro.

Henry Richard Hausman, Jr. is honored on Panel 23W, Row 1 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.