Pfc. Larry L. Gaskins served in the 101st Airborne Division “Screamin’ Eagles,” in 2nd Platoon, A Company, 2nd Battalion of the 327th Infantry. He was killed in Antenna Valley, 4 kilometers east of Hiep Duc Village, by enemy small arms fire. Pfc Gaskins was posthumously promoted to Corporal and received the Purple Heart.
Cpl. Gaskins is buried in Glendale Cemetery, in Cardington, Ohio. His name is listed on the Vietnam Honor Roll, at the Marion Veterans Memorial Park, on the west side of the Marion County Courthouse and on the Vietnam Memorial Wall, Panel 27E, Line 071.
Cpl. Larry L. Gaskins is also remembered on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, at the Marion County Admin building at 222 West Center St. in Marion, Ohio.
From the Marion Star October 12, 1967
County’s Second Death Marion Man Killed In Vietnam Fighting
Notification of the death of Pfc. Larry Lee Gaskins, 20, of 1131 Woodbine Ave. has been received from Washington, DC, by his widow, Anna Lee Culwell Gaskins, and his parents, Francis and Viola Faust Gaskins of the Woodbine Ave. address.
He died in Vietnam Sunday of a wound suffered while on combat operations. He was hit by hostile automatic weapons fire, according to the telegram sent from the office of Maj. Gen. Kenneth G. Wickham. An Elgin High School graduate of 1966, Pfc Gaskins had been employed at Quaker Oats Co. before entering service. He completed advanced infantry training at Ft. Gordon, Ga., and paratroop training at Ft. Benning, Ga. On July 9, he left for Vietnam and was participating in an operation of the 101st Airborne Division at the time of his death. He was a rifleman with Company A.
Surviving besides his widow and parents are a daughter, Patricia Lynn; a brother Russell of 701 S. Prospects St., and two sisters, Kathy and Sandy at home.
M.H. Gunder Sons Funeral Home is handling arrangements.
Pfc. Gaskins was Marion County’s second casualty of Vietnam fighting. Pfc Alan H. Schultz died in action on New Year’s Day.
William Schurch was born in Marion, Ohio, and graduated from Elgin High School in 1966. While at Elgin High school, Schurch played on the baseball team and was a manager for the basketball team. After being drafted and failing the physical due to a hernia, Schurch began working at Tecumseh Products Company. In that time he had to have his hernia repaired and was called back to take a draft physical. Having a private pilots license Schurch sought to become a pilot. He was given orders to attend helicopter training after completing basic training. He traveled to basic training at Fort Polk, Louisiana, with another Marion recruit, Michael Louck.
Schurch was in the United States Army from January 1969 until February 1971. His main job was as a helicopter pilot. He flew UH-1 Helicopters with the 174th Assault Helicopter Company and at time provided support for the 756 Medical. His call sign was Dolphin 20.
While in Vietnam Schurch said he was able to stay in contact with his family via letters. He spent his down time playing cards and enjoying bar-b-ques. He remembers when another Marion resident was assigned to his unit. He said Dan Schifflit was assigned to his unit for training. Schifflet later sent to another unit to fly helicopters.
Schurch remembers action that earned him the Bronze Star Medal. He recalls a helicopter from his unit had been shot down in an open area near a river. the area had a wooded tree line around it and the downed pilot was reporting that he was taking fire from the tree line. Schurch was the lead helicopters of a formation of three. He took the center and had the other ships fire rockets into the tree line as they came in to the hot landing zone. they were able to quickly remove the other crew.
Schurch also received the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry for recovering a Vietnamese Scout patrol who were in danger of flood waters. During a monsoon the patrol of 8-10 men were stranded on a dike in waste deep waters. He assembled a volunteer crew, since the visibility was poor due to the heavy rains. With visibility so poor due to the rains, Schurch had to at first be guided out by the base radar. He was only able to fly about 10 feet off the ground. As he approached the patrol, they could not see each other, but the patrol could hear his helicopter. As Schurch flew around the patrol they guided him via radio, until he was able to locate them. Schurch then was unable to land so he hovered as the patrol loaded. He then had to return being again directed by the base radar.
UH-1 from pilot seat
After returning home to Marion, Ohio, Schurch had learned that while flying a medevac mission in Vietnam he had extracted two local men. The men were Harold Titus and the other man he wishes not to share the name of, out of respect for the family.
One of the missions that Schurch remembers was a Christmas mission in which his Executive Officer (XO), had asked for a volunteer crew. The XO had gotten his hands on some Jim Beam and wanted to deliver Christmas meals to the grunts in the field. Disconnni the XO dressed up as Santa Clause and they flew to the outposts and brought meals and a bottle of Jim Beam for the men to have. As they approached an outpost, Santa would lean out onto the skids of the helicopter and wave at the troops. He gave the commanding officers the whiskey under the conditions that each man got a shot if he wanted.
Schurch said they always made it a priority to get mail out to the men at the outposts. They felt that it was very important to keep the soldiers in touch with the outside during such stressful times.
Schurch was discharged with the rank of Chief Warrant Officer 2. He said he regrets that he did not keep in touch with those he served with.
L-R Unknown, Captain Pistroni, Schurch, Dennis Casey and co-pilot Donald Mills.From the Marion Star December 15, 1973
After he returned to Marion, Ohio, Schurch returned to Tecumseh Products Company, until he secured a job at the Marion Fire Department in 1974. While Schurch proudly served his hometown, he worked his way through the ranks earning the position of Platoon Chief and running his own crew, until his retirement in 2001. Schurch also was an Auxillary Sheriff and the first helicopter pilot for the Marion County Sheriff’s Department. He helped to get the Sheriff’s first helicopter in running condition. He flew for the Sheriff for 18 years.
Related article from the Mansfield News Journal May 7, 1989
An Elgin High School graduate of 1966, Pfc Gaskins had been employed at Quaker Oats Co. before entering service. He completed advanced infantry training at Ft. Gordon, Ga., and paratroop training at Ft. Benning, Ga. On July 9, he left for Vietnam and was participating in an operation of the 101st Airborne Division at the time of his death. He was a rifleman with Company A.
Honoring Marion Ohio Veterans 