Tex and Gary
Leo Lipsie, Recon Platoon Leader
Company E, 2/12th Cavalry, 1968
While serving in Vietnam we all lost friends, close friends, friends that we had planned on spending our lives with after leaving the God forsaken war. We made plans to meet and together go forward in life, enjoying everything that the “World” offered. All too often these plans were destroyed with the death of our friends.
Such was the case of the friendship between Jack “Tex” Reed and Gary Dean Bowling.
Gary was one of twenty men killed in action on August 16, 1968 when the 10th Sapper Battalion penetrated the perimeter of LZ Nancy.
SP4 Gary Bowling was a squad leader in the 2/12th Cavalry Recon Platoon. Gary spent a great deal of time with his squad, getting to know the strengths of each of his squad members. When his squad was assigned to one of the line companies, Gary and his squad would walk the point position. Gary was written up in the 1st Cavalry Division Cavalier newspaper noting the first kills of the Recon Platoon.
Jack Reed, Tex as he was known, was the Recon Platoon Sergeant. The bond Tex formed with Gary was immediate upon Gary being selected for Recon. They had their life planned following Vietnam. Tex, like Gary, was going to purchase a Harley and immediately head for Gary’s hometown of Seven Mile, Ohio. Together, on their Harleys, they were going to travel the United States, from Maine to California stopping only when they needed to work and then continue on to the next state. These dreams that Tex shared with Gary were destroyed that night of August 16th.
Gary may have left Tex but Tex never left Gary Bowling. Gary remained a figure in Tex’s mind through constant prayer and thought. Tex left his thoughts and prayers of Gary on the Virtual Wall at http://www.virtualwall.org/db/BowlingGD01a.htm
On May 16th 2008, Tex received an email from Shirley Gray, Gary’s cousin, thanking him for remembering Gary with his thoughts on the Virtual Wall. She went on to mention the fact that Gary had many dreams for his future with Tex on the Harleys.
Tex immediately responded to Shirley’s email, telling her just how much he missed Gary and asked to speak with her rather than send emails back and forth.
After a few bouts of telephone tag, Tex was able to speak with Shirley about Gary. Shirley mentioned that the family never had found closure over the death of Gary and that she hoped that in speaking with Tex maybe, just maybe, she would better understand how and why Gary died. Shirley also told Tex that while Gary’s mother had passed, a sister, Carol Mosley, and brother, Barton, survived him. She had told Carol of the email communication she had with Tex.
How after 40 years was it that someone that served with Gary has been brought into the picture? How could this be? After hearing the news, Carol told Shirley that she was not ready speak with Tex, but maybe one day she would be able to.
I spoke with Tex shortly after the telephone call with Shirley. As brothers serving together and the closeness we share, you can probably imagine the emotion in the call. I knew Gary as well, since I was the Platoon Leader. Tex and I shared a painful conversation that day, for the better part of 2 hours, reliving Vietnam, Gary as a trooper, August 16th and the phone call from Shirley.
It was only after Shirley discussed with Carol her conversation with Tex that Carol felt strong enough to open the boxes of Gary’s belongings.
Not too long later, probably a couple of weeks, Tex received a phone call from Carol, Gary’s sister. Carol made mention of the pictures of Tex that Gary had sent home and asked Tex about his Mohawk haircut. With deep emotion, Carol shared with Tex that the family was never able to deal with the death of Gary. His belongings were kept; his room for a long time was kept in order, just as he had left it when he went in the service and on to Vietnam. How Gary’s brother, who was so young at the time, 12, and looked up to his brother but was never able to know him. She spoke of Gary’s letters home and of his hopes and plans after leaving the service.
Carol said that one day, she would like to meet Tex and the remaining members of the Recon Platoon that Gary spoke of. Tex, wanting to meet with Carol as soon as possible, asked where she currently lived. She said that after Gary’s mother passed, she had moved to the Indianapolis area.
At this point a light went on for Tex. This is where the Recon Platoon is getting together in September! After last year, we all decided that we would meet every September and attend the Vietnam Veterans Annual Reunion in Kokomo, Indiana.
Carol was elated, to say the least. Not only was she going to meet members of Gary’s platoon, but she going to join with Recon and attend the Reunion in Kokomo.
As before, I spoke with Tex following his conversation with Carol. The emotional time we shared is hard to describe but only you as Vietnam Veterans can imagine.
Only a few more months until the September meeting but that’ll be another story.
