All gave some, some gave All

All gave some, some gave all

Wayne Lau, Specialist 4, US Army, 173^rd Airborne Brigade,

Central Highlands, Vietnam, April 1971

This is Wayne’s story as retold by his widow Carol. To him, the morning of April 9, 1971 seemed like just another day in Nam, but this day would change his life forever. He had been in country since July 1970 serving with the elite paratroopers of the 173^rd Airborne Brigade. His unit’s current assignment was a search and destroy mission in the mountains of the Central Highlands. They were focused on finding and engaging with the enemy. His fear and attention levels were up a notch because well-equipped and experienced North Vietnamese Army Regulars (NVA) were operating in the area. He was leading a squad of nine soldiers down a sunlit trail flanked by dense undergrowth on both sides. With him in the lead or point position, his good friend Nook followed close behind. Nook was a Kit Carson Scout, a Vietnamese soldier who once was an enemy but surrendered and now was fighting with us. The morning air was still as Wayne probed along the trail when suddenly the telltale klak klak klak of an enemy AK 47 automatic rifle ripped the silence. The initial spray of bullets hit Wayne in his lungs and stomach, an arm and both legs. The force of the bullets spun him sideways just as there was a flash and vroom of a B-40 rocket that whizzed past Wayne and hit Nook full in the chest, killing him instantly. The B-40 rocket propelled grenade is an anti-armor weapon that the enemy also used against infantry. Before Wayne even hit the ground he was now lifted in the air from the explosion and backblast of the rocket, shrapnel severing his spine, paralyzing him. He lay on the trail motionless, conscious but in terrible pain, bleeding profusely and pretending to be dead. The firefight continued for several minutes as three more of his buddies from the squad were wounded. Wayne might not have survived that day were it not for the actions of a soldier who was new to the unit, what they called a cherry, who ran in under fire and pulled him off the trail into cover. After what seemed like an eternity but was only 10 to 15 minutes, Wayne’s squad was reinforced and he was medevaced to a mobile army hospital unit where he was triaged and not expected to survive. He was moved to what Wayne described as a death ward where he was given the Last Rites. But Wayne had other plans, he told the chaplain to step away, he wasn’t going where the chaplain thought he was going. You could see from that moment Wayne’s determination to live and have a life. His wounds were eventually stabilized. Over several weeks he would go to a hospital in Vietnam, then Japan, and finally to the States. Thus began a two-year battle to recover from his serious wounds and be rehabilitated.

Though paralyzed from the waist down Wayne never felt bitterness about his injuries, a sadness yes but he felt lucky to be alive. And he grieved the death of his friend Nook. Nook’s scouting skills and courage had saved Wayne’s buddies lives more than once. Nook looked like he was in his thirties but he was actually fifty-six and he had had enough of combat. Wayne was paying him out of his own salary to keep him with the unit, his skills and friendship were that important to Wayne. Wayne never forgot Nook and the sacrifice he made that day.

After the war Wayne was determined to make a life for himself despite his injuries. The wheelchair was not going to hold him back. His motto was where there was a will, there was a way. Although pain was a constant companion, he never let that or his disability get in the way. He spent a great deal of time in the VA system and they did not want to release him because he was so upbeat and such a positive role model for the other paralyzed veterans. Many veterans when faced with the crippling injuries Wayne had would turn to drugs or even suicide but that was not Wayne. He cared deeply about his fellow soldiers and delighted in the inspiring role he could have in their lives. For the rest of his life, he was an inspiration to many. He designed and had built a wheelchair accessible home and served on several boards in his community to improve wheelchair accessibility and handicap parking. He also helped in the design of wheelchair accessible improvements at a local school and was also a frequent guest at local schools to share his Vietnam story and remarkable attitude. He was an accomplished deer and bear hunter, especially with the bow, and some of his hunting stories were published in Bow Hunter magazine. He was a hunting and safety instructor. He also was a river rat, living along the Mississippi River you could frequently find him enjoying his boat and fishing. He felt that hunting and fishing were his therapy, he had no need for counselling despite the serious trauma he had experienced. He also was an accomplished pool player and had many trophies to prove it. People would say Wayne could accomplish more on no legs than most men could on two. Several news stories were written about him and he was well known in the Guttenberg Iowa area. When others were facing life in a wheelchair, they would frequently seek him out for his advice and counsel.

Wayne Lau passed away due to complications from his wounds on November 8^th, 2017. To everyone who ever knew him, he is unforgettable, an indomitable spirit so full of life. He had a gift, when you looked at Wayne you didn’t see the wheelchair, he made it invisible. He wanted to be known as a loving husband, father and grandfather and that he was. He loved his country,  family, and his brothers from the 173^rd Airborne Brigade more than anything. He gave his all.