# Army Honors First Vietnam Casualty



## Boondocksaint375 (Oct 23, 2007)

Army Honors  First Vietnam Casualty
 Army News Service | SFC Rodger  Jones | October 22, 2007

West  Point, N.Y. -- A wreath-laying ceremony to commemorate the 50th anniversary of  the death of the first U.S. service member to die in Southeast Asia during the  Vietnam Conflict was conducted Sunday at West Point Cemetery. 

Capt.  Harry G. Cramer Jr. died Oct. 21, 1957 near Nha Trang, South Vietnam, from an  explosion.

In 1957, Capt. Cramer was placed in command of a Mobile  Training Team with the mission of organizing and training the cadre of the South  Vietnamese Special Forces. A graduation exercise in late October was to include  realistic ambushes and raids in a field about 10 miles south of Nha  Trang.

At dusk on Oct. 21, Capt. Cramer was watching the initiation of  the ambush drill. The official report of death states that a "TNT block  exploded" while a trainee was "in throwing position." Two Special Forces medics  who treated Capt. Cramer, however, said that several Viet Cong mortar rounds  were also fired at the Special Forces advisors when the ambush drill  began.

Capt. Cramer was a member of the United States Military Academy  Class of 1946 and he was buried at the West Point Cemetery. 

The  wreath-laying ceremony was West Point's opportunity to render, on behalf of the  Army, recognition to a distinguished American leader and his family, according  to the West Point Operations office. Additionally, because of CPT Cramer's  position in history as the Army's first combat-related fatality in Vietnam, the  ceremony afforded West Point the privilege to recall the sacrifices of all  Vietnam Veterans, living and deceased.

The ceremony began with a  procession that included: Harry G. Cramer III, son of Capt. Cramer; and his wife  Kit; Kai Bolger, Capt. Cramer's daughter; and the grandchildren, Harry G. Cramer  IV and Kelly Frazier.

Prior to laying the wreath, Harry Cramer III  provided remarks that he felt best portrayed the life and death of his father:  "First, I would like to begin by acknowledging the presence of my family. I  would then like to acknowledge the contingent of H-2 cadets, the same company in  which my father was a member," he said.

"Now, I would like to tell you a  little bit about the man we called Dad," said Mr. Cramer. "My father, who was  the son of an Infantry captain, always wanted to be a Soldier. He wanted to be  like his father as well as his father's father who was a first sergeant in the  Army. 

"As a young man, my father took pride in finishing first. He was  the youngest graduate of his West Point Class. He was the first USMA graduate to  become a member of Special Forces and he was the first casualty of Vietnam.  However, I can assure you that if my father were present here today, he would  tell you that he was involved in one too many firsts." 

Mr. Cramer also  said that his father served his country from his heart: "My dad was proud to be  a Soldier. He wouldn't have had it any other way. He lived by a creed as a  Soldier: Serve your country; be the Best you can be; Love your family and always  place yourself last."

Though there are some who s ask if his father's  death was in vain, Mr. Cramer said he feels his father died for a great  cause:"When I'm asked if my father's death was a waste, I vehemently respond  with a resounding No! My father set an example of what a warrior does. A country  could conceivably fail its Soldiers, but a Soldier will never, ever fail his  country, said Mr. Cramer.

Once Mr. Cramer had completed his remarks, the  family, along with the Dean of Academic Board Brig. Gen. Patrick Finnegan  concluded the ceremony by placing a wreath at the gravesite of Capt. Cramer.


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## Gypsy (Oct 23, 2007)

RIP CPT Cramer, your death was not in vain.


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## The91Bravo (Oct 23, 2007)

Thanks to him, those that preceded him, and those that followed to assure what we have now.. Not enough to say how much I appreciate folks like him


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## tova (Oct 23, 2007)

RIP, Godspeed, PBS....


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## MADMIKE175 (Oct 23, 2007)

RIP, Sir.


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