Lawrence Lee Aldrich was a SP4 in the United States Army when he was killed in South Vietnam on 06 May 1968. Aldrich was born on 16 July 1947, and his home city of record is Fort Worth, Texas. Aldrich's remains were recovered in 2009 and buried in 2010.
The Incident
SP4 Lawrence L. Aldrich was a rifleman assigned to Company B., 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry, 173rd Airborne Brigade. On May 6, 1968, he was on a search and clear mission in Bien Dien Province, South Vietnam when a friendly air strike was directed at hostile forces in his vicinity. A 750-pound bomb was seen to impact on his last known location. He was the only man in his company to be in this position.
A platoon leader was later able to search the area where Aldrich was last seen but found no trace of him. A thorough search of the area revealed no remains that could be identified as his.
War is hell. Men are killed by other men whom they call their enemy. But men are also killed by "misadventure" - by senseless drowning, falls, and by being in the wrong place at the wrong time. From all appearances, it seems that Aldrich was in the wrong place - one where the bombs dropped by his own comrades would take his life.
At 19, Larry Aldrich had just begun to live. Because no trace was found, Aldrich's name is maintained with honor among those who are missing, prisoner, and unaccounted for in Southeast Asia. There can be no chance that Aldrich survived the explosion on 06 May 1968. But for others who are missing, conclusions are not so easy to draw.
Sources
Biographical and incident of loss information was obtained from either POW/NET and/or Task Force Omega, Inc (unless otherwise noted). Additional information may be found via remembrances at The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund or The Virtual Wall Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
