Garland Randall was a successful welterweight professional boxer in the mid-'60s. He entered the Army and was assigned to the 1/26th Infantry "Blue Spaders" for the first part of his tour.

The following first-hand information was supplied by Joe Karczynski, a fellow Black Lion:


"Garland 'Rip' Randall came over to the 2/28th with Dave Groh and myself in mid-September of 67. We had been together in the same platoon with the 1/26th Blue Spaders. When he was with the 26th, we asked why he got drafted in the Army when he was married with five children. He said he did not want to be another Mohammed Ali, and wanted to do his part as an American citizen.

While Dave and myself was assigned to Bravo company, Rip was assigned to Recon. When it was learned Rip was married with children, they sent him back to the rear to Lai Khe. How he wound up out there on Oct. 17th is a little bit of a mystery, but the best we can figure is he must have come out with the HQ group LTC Allen brought out.

Actually, I put him on the chopper when he was wounded. He told me he was not going to make it. Always wondered about that. There was no medics available, and I saw a chopper taking off with wounded. Figured if he got back to an aid station ASAP, he would make it. Picked him up, ran him to the chopper, there was no room anywhere except an empty door gunner seat, so I put him in there and strapped him in."


Many thanks to Joe Karczynski, himself a decorated combat veteran, for providing the information about Garland Randall.