Dana Leon Rich

34th Scout Dog Platoon (IPSO) 1st Cavalry Division 

Written by Dana's brother Michael G. Rich

 Dana Rich was born in 1947, the eldest of four brothers and two sisters. He lived and attended school in Dyer, Indiana. In March of 1967, Dana was drafted into the Army. Before being shipped to Vietnam, Private First-Class Dana Rich attended basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky. After three months, Dana was transferred to Fort Bennings, Georgia, where he received his Scout Dog training. In October of 1967, he found himself heading to Vietnam.

While deployed in Vietnam, Dana fought in many missions and received many awards, medals, and badges, including a Purple Heart, a Bronze Star Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, a Bronze Star Medal with 4 Bronze Service Stars, an Air Medal, a Combat Infantry Badge, a National Defense Medal, an Expert Rifle Medal, a Sharpshooter Rifle-M-14, an Army Good Conduct Medal, a Marksman Badge with Expert Machine Gun and Auto Rifle Bars, a Sharpshooter Badge with Rifle Bar, and a Unit Citation with Palm Device. In addition, he also received the Vietnam Service Medal with 4 Bronze Stars, a Vietnam Campaign Medal, a Vietnam Honor Medal, and a Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross.

A few years ago, I met up with a high school friend of Dana's who also served-with him in Vietnam. Tony Gutierrez, a platoon leader stationed in the A Shau Valley, recounted the story of that fateful day when Dana was critically injured.

"We radioed for a Dog Handler to fly in to check on some tunnels. I had no idea it would be Dana, my high school friend. I remember him walking towards me, and as he got closer, we just smiled at each other, and I yelled, "What the F*ck are YOU doing here?" I still remember that smirky smile on his face. Sgt. Gutierrez went on to say that they had been fighting the enemy for two weeks straight; the whole area was full of enemy soldiers. After telling Dana what was needed, he shouted, "I got this, my dog, and I will check it out." Usually, when there is a tunnel or a hole in the ground, the squad leader will tell the men to t-hrow a grenade in the hole and walk away!!! "

But on that night and on that mission, things didn't go that way for Dana. Dana's dog tripped a booby trap. Seamus, Dana's scout dog, didn't survive the blast, and Dana was severely injured after being struck by fragments. Medical reports from Walter Reed Hospital indicated the extent of his bodily injuries, which included his head, trunk, and extremities. A metal foreign body caused extensive damage to his right eye. His most serious injury following his injury was an intradural abscess.

Dana's mother received a fateful telegram alerting her that her son, Dana, was critically injured and his death was imminent. Dana wasn't ready to die that night. He was transferred to Walter Reed Hospital, where he received medical attention for 18 months. He was honorably discharged in September of 1969, with 90% disability.

He returned home to his family, never to be the same. In 1999, Dana died of Cirrhosis of the liver.