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DOUGLAS KEEFAUVER
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| Keefauver arrived at Fort Campbell, KY in May 1967 and was assigned to Weapons Platoon. .He went with A Company to South Vietnam, December 1967. He presently lives in Placerville, CA. |
| MEDALS AND AWARDS Combat Infantry Badge Purple Heart -10 April 1968, SGT Douglas B. Keefauver (1-OLC) earned the Purple Heart for military merit and for wounds received in action during combat operations. (HQ, 101st ABN DIV; General Order Number 3971) National Defense Service Vietnam Service Vietnam Campaign Medal Jump Wings UNIT CITATIONS RVN Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon RVN Gallantry Cross Unit Citation with Palm Ribbon RVN Civil Action Honor Unit Citation with Palm Ribbon |
SP4 Douglas Keefauver earned the Purple Heart for military merit and for wounds received in the Republic of Vietnam. (Department of the Army, Permanent Order 327-04; 23 November 2010). December 29, 1967 |
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PHOTOS |
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 Mar 1968 - unk-unk-manny-collins-keefauver |
 Keefauver - Graham Bien Hoa, South Vietnam December 1968 |
 Keefauver September 1968 South Vietnam |
 Keefauver-Manny |
 Cunningham -Keefauver - Fort Campbell, KY, 1967 |
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KEEFAUVER TODAY Life since Viet Nam has had its ups and downs but generally all is well. I have been a Preacher now for the past 22 years most of my work has been in the Philippines and Africa although I have spent some time in China, Indonesia and Mexico and a few other places working with the poor, it has been an adventure for sure. I must admit though that every time I find myself walking across a rice field I wonder if I will hear the crack of an AK47coming from the wood line. |
| DOUG'S BOOK |
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| NOTES FROM FAMILY AND FRIENDS |
| Written by Doug Keefauver I was in the field with A Company during my first tour in Nam and was hit in the chest and leg December 1967 our first day in the field at "Cu Chi." I was sent to Japan to recover. I rejoined the company in February the day before we were going to assault Hue. A Company was to cross the river and go over the wall at the rear of the city. I think the NVA moved out that night and we didn't have to try crossing the river. "We we all relieved, I think we would have suffered many casualties had we tried that approach. I know now that God was watching out for us. I was with the company until April 1968 and was hit again. I think it was near Utah Beach and I believe it was the third of four days of engaging the enemy. We were working with the ARVNS. I remember that they started the engagement then they left, I asked their commander where they were going he said, "home for lunch" They left us in heavy fighting SGT Hernandez (Not sure of the name) was one of the KIAs along with the M60 gunner I do not recall his name. We left our dead and went back for them the next morning. At some point during the battle we called an air strike and an F14 passed over firing Puff on our position. I think several men were killed but "not sure." I was inside a Buddhist Pagoda with Lt Shaw and a couple of others, at that moment; I was Lt Shaw's RTO that day. The puff rounds really peppered the Pagoda. We never were quite sure if we were hit by Puff or by an RPG because the gooks had fired several rounds at the building while we were in it. I did get a Purple Heart for that wound, I don't think I was given one for the first wound in December. After I was released from the hospital I was sent to Bien Hoa HHC then reassigned to A Company until July of 1968, then I was reassigned again to HHC. Top and Battalion SGT Major visited a few times and we toured Saigon. |
What is was like to return to A Company after being released from the hospital. - written by Doug Keefauver I deployed with the company Dec 13, 1967 and I was wounded Dec 29 1967 that landed me in Japan until early Feb 1968, the company had moved to Hue by then. I came in on the first choppers that had been able to land in weeks; Kaminski was one of the first people I saw upon my arrival. As I recall you were all hungry, and I came with the first hot chow in weeks. One of the guys a newbie I believe he was from India or one of those countries knew which fruit trees you guys could eat from. He was in 3rd platoon. The men were thankful for this guy; he was an E-6 and he kept many feed, I can't recall his name. This E-6 was gut shot one night on LP by our own guys it must have been in late March, he and I came up over a hill too quickly. We had gone down with a night scope and they started dropping artillery on us so we scatted back up the hill, it freaked out one of our guys and he opened up. I never heard what happened to the guy whether he lived or died; I wish I knew. Anyway in Feb I was assigned to Lt Shaw's platoon I guess that was 3rd platoon and was a squad leader for 3rd or 4th squad; "I think". I remained with the company until Apr 10, 1968 when I was wounded again this landed me to an in country Hospital. I returned to the company in May, 3rd platoon again. In July One of the reenlistment officers talked me into reenlisting so I remained with the company until July 8th 1968 then I was reassigned to HHC in Bien Hoa where I remained until Sept 1969. Top came by a few times to visit in 68 and 69. By the time I left Vietnam I was an E-6. I don't remember many of the names of the guys I served with, many of them never came home. My recollections of battles are vague at best to be honest I don't remember that I really did much of anything except fill a slot and get shot. |
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