Ceremony set to honor Elton native killed in Vietnam War
Specialist 4 Albert 'Billy' Sonnier was killed killed in the infamous Battle of Ia Drang during the Vietnam War. (Special to the American Press)
Final preparations are underway for next Saturday's event to honor an Elton native killed in the infamous Battle of Ia Drang during the Vietnam War.
A ceremony honoring Specialist 4 Albert 'Billy' Sonnier will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 3, at the Vietnam War Memorial at the Louisiana Oil and Gas Park in Jennings.
'We encourage everyone from the area to attend so we can give Spec. 4 Sonnier the honor and respect he deserves for his service and ultimate sacrifice,' organizer John Semmes said.
Semmes, a Vietnam veteran and part of a local Vietnam veterans project team, discovered Sonnier's name on the memorial last year and sought out Sonnier's family. This led to locating Sonnier's grave and fundraising for a memorial marker at St. Joseph Catholic Church Cemetery in Elton.
Sonnier died Nov. 15, 1965 at the age of 24 during the Battle of Ia Drang at Landing Zone (LZ) X-Ray – one of the most famous battles in the storied history of the 1st Cavalry Division and the first major battle of the Vietnam War.
The battle was covered by war correspondent Joe Galloway, who co-authored 'We Were Soldiers Once ….and Young' with retired Lt. Gen. Hal Moore. It was adapted into the 2002 film, 'We Were Soldiers.'
Sonnier was a rifleman assigned to Charlie Company, 1st Battalion of the 7th Cavalry, 1st Air Cavalry Division. The company suffered 68 casualties, with 42 killed in action and 26 wounded, from a fighting force of 106 men. Six of the 42 fallen troopers, including Sonnier, posthumously received the Purple Heart and Bronze Star for valor.
'This is why the fulfillment of God's purpose sometimes calls for the ultimate sacrifice of our most precious treasure,' then Army Chief of Staff Gen. Harold Johnson wrote in a letter to Sonnier's mother after his death. 'For his gift of life, your son is forever noble among men.'
The ceremony is expected to be one of the most historic military events for Southwest Louisiana, according to Semmes.
'It will be a ceremonial event, but will be memorable for those soldiers – all of whom are in their 80s now, and for the young people participating in the ceremony who will get to interface with these soldiers,' Semmes said. 'But we want to make sure this is memorable for everybody and make sure these guys get the recognition they deserve.'
Honored guests will include Medal of Honor recipient retired U.S. Army Col. Walter 'Joe' Marm, along with seven other LZ X-Ray veterans, including three Purple Heart recipients.
Former Louisiana Veterans Affairs secretary and retired Col. Joey Strickland, who served two tours of combat duty in Vietnam, will be the keynote speaker. Sonnier's sisters, JoAnn White, who was a teenager when he died, and Sandria Doyle, who was 10 at the time, will also be in attendance.
Other participants include Sea Cadets from Lake Charles; Daxton Broussard, a student at Iota High School; Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 215 of Kinder; LZ X-Ray veteran Nathan Harvey; Thomas Barrett; Deputy Director of Louisiana's Veterans Affairs Dr. Jerome Buller; Vietnam veteran Wayne Milner; Kenzlie Duhon and Nolan Knight, students at Jennings High School. Several participants will be in Vietnam-era military uniforms.
Author Dave Precht, a 1967 graduate of Jennings High School, will deliver two speeches. Precht has authored three books and was heavily involved in two others in the 'Brothers Beyond the Perimeter' series of books based on local Vietnam veterans. He hopes to complete a final book on local Vietnam service personnel by November.
'We are very fortunate that he (Precht) has volunteered his time and talent to make sure all these veterans and their deeds and service are finally getting acknowledged,' Semmes said.
A shadow box of Sonnier's service medals will be presented to his sisters. Leather-bound autographed copies of the 'We Were Soldiers' book and special emblems will also be presented to the LZ X-Ray veterans attending the ceremony, which will include music, flag presentation, a three-gun volley, the sounding of 'Taps,' and a Fallen Warrior display.
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