A Vietnam veteran from Monson, Mississippi has written a book that honors five hometown heroes who were killed in the war.
Chuck Nothe said the idea for the book, “Five Names on a Granite Slab,” came from the Monson Vietnam Memorial, which lists the names of five men who were killed during the conflict.
“Whenever I stopped to see the memorial, to me they were much more than names,” he said. “I know most of them, but others, those names meant little.”
The book honors Ken Berube, who worked behind the counter at Brown’s Drug Store, serving Nothe and others their soda and ice cream
“He was four years older than I was, but I remember him well,” said Nothe .
Berube and Nothe each received work scholarships at Monson Academy. Following two years of college, Berube enlisted in the Marines, became an officer and F-4 pilot in Vietnam.
“His plane was shot down by ground fire and his body never recovered,” Nothe said.
Nothe also tells the story of his cousin, Michael Jack, in the book.
“He was five years older than myself, but I remember he was build solid strong and a great swimmer,” he said.
Jack served in the Army and was killed during an eight-hour mortar attack in July of 1966.
Michael Scanlon stood 4-foot-10 and needed a special waiver to join the Marines because of his height. He was a classmate of Nothe’s at Monson Academy.
“He used to pray on his knees in front of his locker before a big test,” he said.
A Recon Marine, Scanlon was the first Devil Dog to be killed at Khe Sahn, Nothe said.
“He and his squad were ambushed by the NVA,” he continued. “They threw a grenade and Mile fell on it, killing himself and saving the lives of four other Marines.”
Scanlon received the Silver Star for his actions.
Peter Nash went to school with Nothe’s brother, Jim. Nash joined the Marines and was killed on Mike’s Hill.
“A member of his unit told me he was first out of the helicopter and first to be killed,” Nothe said.
While Nothe did not know Alan Berry personally, the book also honors the Army medic who was killed during the Tet offensive in 1970 by a throwaway trap while he was gathering supplies for the wounded he was treating.
Nothe said it took him about nine months to write the book. He spent about six months doing research.
The men’s stories are told through the testimonials of girlfriends, family members, and those who served with them.
“Some of it was difficult to write, especially finding out how they died and the circumstances of their death,” he said.
Nothe served in the Air Force during the conflict, in what was known as “hot cargo,” resupplying armaments to the frontlines in various locations.
“Do not confuse my job with those of my Monson heroes,” he said. “I served in Vietnam and did my job. I was no hero.”
The book can be found on Amazon.
Reach Julia LeDoux at Julia@connectingvets.com.
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