Facts

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Photos of
Dad in Vietnam

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"We Serve"
4th Battalion
23rd Infantry Regiment

25th Infantry Division
 
 
 

Send Me an E-mail

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The Wall: Panel 11E - Row 119

     Our father SSG Michael Rand was born in New York on April 26, 1929.  He enlisted in the US Army in 1950 and in 1951 he married our mother, Rosalind. 
     From 1951-1952 he served with the 2nd Infantry Div., 9th Infantry Regiment in Korea.  Upon his return from Korea, he served as Public Information NCO & Editor for the Regimental Paper in the 164th Infantry Regiment HHC at Camp Rucker, Alabama. 
     From 1953 to 1958, he was the ROTC Military Science Instructor at St. Francis Xavier High School, N.Y. and also coached the Rifle Team – winning 4 national championships. 
     From 1959 to 1961 he served as the Information & Education NCO with Co. D, 1st Battle Group-9th Infantry in Alaska. 
     From 1962 to 1965, he was an Army Recruiter in New York.  During this time, he was very active in his son and daughter’s school – Our Savior Lutheran School, Bronx, N.Y., - serving as President of the PTA. 
     In June 1965, we were transferred to Fort Richardson, Alaska. 
     Serving with Co. B, 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment of the 25th Infantry Division, he commenced his tour of duty in Vietnam on April 16, 1966.
     On the morning of October 27, 1966, SSG Rand and fellow Infantryman SGT Marlin (Doc) Bembenek were killed by enemy small arms fire while serving near Cu Chi, Republic of Vietnam.

Our lives were forever changed...

Medals:
Purple Heart; Republic of Vietnam Military Merit Medal, Gallantry Cross with Palm; Combat Infantryman’s Badge with Star; Good Conduct Medal

Secret Sodas Saturdays

On Saturdays I would have a special date with Dad.  We would walk around the local neighborhood stopping at the corner candy store to share a “secret soda” – a chocolate cream soda. (I don’t know why we called them “secret sodas” – maybe we thought Mom didn’t know!)  We would have a nice chat and I would ask many questions about this and that. Dad would always have an answer that satisfied my curiosity.  I would get a ride back home on Daddy’s shoulders – he would call me his little knapsack. Dad made my childhood a magical time.