Vietnam 68-69

I still vividly remeber the first time I saw the Rakkasan’s symbol.  It was outside the battalion headquarters at Camp Evans.  I came around the corner of the building and saw it standing there.  It was in stark contrast to the olive drab, the Vietnam dirt and the gray brown wood of the buildings.  I pretty much stopped in my tracks and just looked the big red inverted arch.  I thought it looked asian, like Chinese writing.  I thought it odd that the 3/187th would have such a symbol.  I never took a picture of it.  I think it was becasue I hadn’t received a camera from home yet.  I do remember that it was big and solid, not some flimsy thing.  I vaguely remember a ring of rocks around it and the ground was well kept.  It felt like a shrine or somehting.  I probably asked a few people about it, but I don’t remember.

It wasn’t until years later that I really came to understand what it really means.  The symbol is actually a Tori.

I took the picture of this Rakkasan Tori at this years “Hamburger Hill” Reunion Ceremony, which was held at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. 

Active duty soldier at the Rakkasan speakers poudium

Also see: http://rakkasan.net/