53rd Company Above the Rest
ABOVE THE REST
Welcome to the Infantry Officer’s Candidate School (OCS) 53rd Company class 7-68 web site. The class graduated on February 12, 1968 at Fort Benning, Georgia after completing six months of training that led to commissioning as Second Lieutenants in the United States Army. Less than a year later, most would be serving as rifle platoon leaders in Vietnam. Sadly, six of our comrades and our Company Commander were killed in action. This web site is a tribute to them and all the others who served. You can see their names and get more information about those who died in the “Cadre and Class Members” section of the site.
If you were a member of the class, please leave a response. Let us know what became of you after graduation. One of the objectives of this site is to serve as an objective rallying point for the 53rd. Company.
53rd. Company Infantry OCS 
on April 24, 2010 on 12:10 pm
After OCS I was assigned to Ft. Lee VA and then to VietNamese Language Course for 3 months prior to going to 9th Division. Thought I was going to be a Civil Affairs officer, my secondary MOS, but was met at 4/39th Battalion by then Civil Affairs officer whose DEROS was in 10 months!
Joined the 4/39th, under command of the well known Col. David Hackworth, out at Moc Hoa, near the Cambodian border as a Plattoon Leader in B Co. While rotating out of that AO, walked past our relieving unit and passed by Roger Duncan, from our OCS Class, leading his platoon into our position. There was a glimmer of recognition by both of us – but no time to stop and chat!
I lasted as a Platoon Leader for about 5 weeks before being medevaced out. Col. Hackworth wrote about the 4/39th in his last book “Steel My Soldiers’ Hearts” and describes the battle where I was wounded. I spent the last year of my time at the Army Language School in Monterey, CA where I met up again with Roger Duncan. We were roomates and on my way back east to NY went up to visit Roger in Oregon, where he took me bear hunting in the Olympic Mts in Wa. Roger had been badly wounded by a booby trap – our nick name for him was “zipper legs” for all his scars. He was one tough guy, climbing in the Olympic Mts. He beat me in a 2 mile footrace – him smoking a pack a day and me the amateur soccer player in top condition!
The last address (from about 1999) I have for Roger Duncan is Westwood Forest Products, 15627 Broadway, Shoshomish WA 98296. Would love to touch base with him again!
I have had a great life with a wonderful wife Debbie, 2 boys and one girl who will be married next year. Still working part-time as an Environmental Scientist, which has been an interesting career.
Best to all in the 53rd Company!