JAMES BENJAMIN SIMMONS
Photo courtesy of Denis McDonough
Unknown and James B. Simmons |
25th Infantry Division 20 year old Single, Negro, Male Born on Oct 01, 1946 From NEW YORK, NEW YORK His tour of duty began on Jan 05, 1967 Casualty was on Jan 20, 1967 in BINH DUONG, SOUTH VIETNAM HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY OTHER EXPLOSIVE DEVICE Body was recovered Religion BAPTIST Panel 14E - - Line 59 |
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& Unveiling of Monument for the late PFC James Benjamin Simmons Program Prelude – Mr. John Cobbs, Saxophonist
Organist – Mr. Jerome Gathers Escorting of Parent – Mrs. Neather C. Simmons
Introduction of Master of Ceremony – Ms. Shurene Simmons Master of Ceremony – Mr. Johnny Thompson Invocation – Rev. Robert Heyward, Sr. Solo – Ms. Angey Grant
Chain of Events Leading Up to This Occasion - Mr. Columbus Marion Stephens The Life of PFC James Benjamin “Ben” Simmons – Ms. Shurene Simmons Tribute from the Family Introduction of Speaker – Mr. Johnny Thompson Speaker of the Hour – BG Edgar E. Stanton III Remarks:
Presentation – Ms. Lucille White Benediction – Rev. Walter Jones, Pastor
Unveiling of Monument
Reception
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Name - Relation to PFC James Benjamin Simmons
Mr. John Cobbs, Saxophonist – None Mr. Jerome Gathers, Organist – None Mr. Henry Joseph Simmons, Jr. – Older Brother
Mr. Neather C. Simmons – Mom Ms. Shurene Simmons – Niece (Daughter of Sister
Julie)
Mr. Johnny Thompson – None
Rev. Robert Heyward, Sr. – None
Mr. Columbus “Marion” Stephens – Brother In-Law (Husband of Sister Thelma “Shelia”) Ms. Gloria – Niece (Daughter of Odessa) MG (RET) Carroll LeTiller – Son of Mentor COL
(RET) Louis S. LeTillier “Bub”
REP Robert Brown – High School Friend
Mr. Christopher Walker – None
Mr. Curtis Inabinett – High School Teacher
Mr. John H. Smith – High School Best Friend
Mr. Namon Perkins – None
MSG (RET) Willie Everett – Cousin Ms. Rose Mary Dunmeyer – Second Cousin (Fathers
were 1st Cousins)
Ms. Lucille White – Childhood Friend
Rev. Walter Jones – None
Rev. Dave Smalls Jr. – Second Cousine
Mayor Gerald D. Schuster – None
Mayor Opal Baldwin – None
REP McKinley Washington – None
TV Stations: Radio Stations:
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| Thank you for that kind introduction,
COL Thompson. Good afternoon MG (RET) LeTellier, Representative Brown,
Representative Washington, Mayor Schuster, Mayor Baldwin, members of the
clergy, other distinguished guests, family members and friends with us
today.
It is an honor to be with you this afternoon as we come together to memorialize and pay tribute to Private First Class James Benjamin Simmons. Private Simmons known as “Ben,” to family and friends gave his life defending his country at Binh Duong (Bihn Jung), South Vietnam on the 20th of January 1967. Some forty years ago Ben left the safety of his home here in South Carolina to pursue his education in New York City. He left Henry and Neather, his father and mother, and five sisters: Odessa, Margaret, Matilda, Thelma and Geraldine to join his older brother Joe and sisters Louise and Julie in the Bronx. Working fulltime for the United States Postal Service during the day and attending Brooklyn Community College at night Ben was working hard to make a better way of life for himself. And clearly in so doing he was making his parents proud. Not long after moving to New York, Ben was drafted. He wanted to continue his education, but having been raised by his parents to understand moral obligations he answered his nation’s call to fight for democracy. He returned to Fort Jackson South Carolina for Basic Training still known as Ben Simmons. He left Fort Jackson as Private Simmons. Private Simmons visited with his family at Christmas time in 1967 just before deploying to Vietnam. During that visit, fully understanding the odds of returning safely to his family he told his aunt “Lillie Bell, “I’m not coming back.” Yet, he went. He was a dutiful, honorable man of strong character. He did not run or attempt to evade his duties, instead he held fast, despite his premonition that he might die on foreign soil. As a recruit up the road in Columbia Private Simmons learned the basic skills of a Soldier in the United States Army. Along the way he made some friends. One of his “battle buddies”, Bob Ptachik (Ta-Chick), most recalls his big smile and friendly disposition. As many of you may know there is a Vietnam Memorial Wall Web Site. As a tribute to his fallen comrade, Private Simmons, Ta-Chick left this memory on the web site. “I still remember trying to drag my bed frame and a load of other stuff up to the third floor of our barracks. All of a sudden the bed lifted up off the stairs. It was Ben picking it up, without a word and carrying it the rest of the way.” He closes that fond memory of Ben Simmons with a sentence which is most appropriate today at this memorial service and unveiling of his monument. “Rest in peace and know you are not forgotten.” For many the fallen Soldiers of Vietnam who lost their lives in service to our great nation have faded from memory. We are here today because Private Simmons has NOT been forgotten. Private Simmons was assigned to Alpha Company, First Battalion, Fifth Infantry Regiment, Twenty Fifth Infantry Division, South Vietnam. On the 5th of January, 1967 Private Simmons, an infantryman, became a “Bobcat” as he joined first Battalion. At the time Private Simmons joined the Bobcats, we were heavily engaged against a very committed enemy. Trying to gain the initiative, the U.S. Army launched Operation Cedar Falls, one of two operations that U.S. leaders hoped would turn the tide in their favor. In support of Operation Cedar Falls, Alpha Company had the difficult and extremely dangerous task of searching for and destroying base camps, storage facilities, and enemy tunnels in addition to clearing jungles. In the Bobcat history archives it is recorded that one of the ultimate accomplishments of Operation Cedar Falls took place on the 21st of January, when Private Simmons’ comrades “located a tunnel complex with a main tunnel 600 meters long with 10 branch tunnels…over the next four days 60 pounds of documents were evacuated from the area.” It appears Private Simmons and his team members were a vital part of uncovering a significant portion of the headquarters of Military Region IV. Detailed maps of Saigon and Tan Son Nhut area were discovered along with maps showing the schemes of maneuver of friendly operations in the area and Viet Cong routes of movement from the Iron Triangle area to the Saigon River. If it were not for Private Simmons and thousands of others, working in unison as one team the mission of the 25th Infantry Division would not have been accomplished. While Private First Class Simmons died the day before his unit discovered the tunnel and acquired significant intelligence; he was an integral part of that effort. He and his battle buddy, Morgan E. Savage died while on patrol with their unit as a result of fragment wounds received from a hostile booby trap. May they rest in peace and know they are not forgotten. Private Simmons did not die in vain. Our nation fought in support of a national policy, assisting an emerging nation to develop governmental processes of its own choosing, free of outside coercion. We are still a nation at war. On one front we fight for our own freedom and the right to live without the fear of terrorism. On another front we are again fighting in a foreign land to support an emerging nation as it develops governmental processes of its own choosing, free of tyranny. We continue today to defend democracy worldwide. Just as we will not forget young Private Simmons we must also not forget the soldiers and families of today’s Armed Forces. May they ALL rest in peace and know they are not forgotten. It is fitting to close with this thought in mind: “Freedom isn’t free.” President Ronald Reagan concluded that: “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.” Let us not forget what it means to be an American, in a free and democratic nation. And let us remember that we enjoy our democratic way of life because of the sacrifices others have made. Thank you Private Simmons and God bless America. |
IIf you have anything
to add to James' tribute please email it to Randy@Bobcat.ws*
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