Garnet Jenkins
garijen@bresnan.net
Grand Junction Co
~ With Profound Gratitude ~
Thank You, Sfc Estel Denny Spakes, for your Courage and your years of Service and Dedication to our Country and for Freedom. Rest in Peace and know that you will NEVER BE FORGOTTEN. I am the sister of a young hero, who also made the Supreme Sacrifice in Vietnam 1967.....'GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS, THAT HE LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS.' ~ John 15:13 ~
Mar 12, 2009 |
|
|
 |
Manuel Pino B/2/8th Cav,1st Cav 68-69
mpjr54@msn. com
Fellow Army Vietnam Brother
5th SF Grp/ C co/Det A-109 (Thuong Duc)
~TREASURE THIS HERO LORD, IN YOUR GARDEN OF REST, FOR WHILE HERE ON EARTH, HE WAS ONE OF OUR BEST~
Oct 1, 2008 |
|
|
|
Harold Carpenter
carpenter11@cox.net
Served Together 8th Special Forces
To An Old Team Member
Estel and I served together on Det A22 Company B 8th Special Forces in Panama. Estel was a great NCO and a pleasure to serve with. Many years ago my wife Lene and I visited Estel and Ruby in Fort Davis and that was the first time we ever tasted Coffee Mate as it had just come out. We still talk about it from time to time. Rest in Peace Estel.
Harold T. Carpenter
Sergeant Major USA (Ret)
Sep 24, 2008 |
|
|
|
manny g
Fellow Veteran 69-70 An Khe
Union Gap, WA. 98903
“You are Remembered”
Peace and condolence, to the family and friends. "He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother”. Rest in peace brave soldier, you have not been forgotten. (W.Shakespeare) May God Bless You for your Sacrifice!!!
Mar 12, 2008 |
|
|
|
Brittany Spakes
Grandaughter
Grandpa Spakes died way before i was ever thought of being born...but somehow i feel so connected to this man i call my hero. he will always be with me. I just recently got a tattoo to honor him....a way of remembering him always. And in 20 years....i can tell my own children about him..just as my dad and Granny did for me.....and it's something i will always be proud of..and i hope they will too.
Oct 22, 2006 |
|
|
|
Michael Spakes
michaelsbusiness@aol.com
Son
Visit to the Wall
Tomorrow (June 2, 2006) my 11 year old Daughter Kaylee is making a school trip to Washington DC to visit The Wall and see her Grandpa's name. I hope seeing The Wall and the names engraved thereon has meaning to her and that she will come away with a new sense of understanding of the sacrifice her Grandfather and Others made in defense of our way of life. I hope she can feel your presence Dad, and the love I know you would have had for her if you had been able to stay with us instead of going away so long ago. I think you two would have been great buddies. All Our Love.
Thursday, June 01, 2006 |
|
|
|
Ruby Spakes
ppuff40@yahoo.com
Wife
Remembering
I am the widow of Estel D. Spakes. I know that if he were here today, he would be very proud of his children and grandchildren. He is often in our thoughts and conversations. We still miss him very much. Today is his birthday. Estel was proud to serve our country, and was willing to give his life to defend our freedom. I want to thank him and ALL those who have served our country. God Bless America!
Wednesday, October 10, 2001 |
|
|
|
Michael Spakes
michaelsbusiness@aol.com
Son
Knoxville, TN USA
A Father's Love. It's A Love Without End, Amen.
You answered your country's call when others didn't. Your family needed you, but you did what you had to do. I wish you could see your children now - and the grandchildren you never knew. They ask about "Grandpa". We will ALWAYS Love You. We will ALWAYS remember. Dear God, if only things could have been different.
Tuesday, July 04, 2000 |
|
|
|
Michael Spakes
MichaelsBusiness@aol.com
Son
The story of Dad's death was missing for many years. The newspapers misreported the events and only recently did my Mother and Brother find the writeup. This is how I remember it also. Awarded: Bronze Star Medal with "V" Device (First Oak Leaf Cluster) For heroism in connection with ground operations against a hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam: Sergeant First Class Spakes distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 12 March 1968 while serving as an advisor to a small security force which was ambushed by a platoon of enemy snipers. After leading his small security group to a defensive position and attempting to fight off the attackers, he realized that he must break out of the enemy encirclement. Sergeant Spakes courageously led his small force in an assault against one side of the enemy encirclement. He and another member of his element were pursued and surrounded. Without regard for his own life he stopped and returned fire on the enemy allowing his comrade to escape. Sergeant Spakes' gallantry in action was in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, the Special Forces and the United States Army.
Sunday, June 16, 2002 |
|
|
|
Michael Spakes
MichaelsBusiness@aol.com
Son
Exerpts of emails sent to me by my Mother: "Last year, I talked to the man that was Estel's Commanding Officer in Vietnam. He told me that he saw Estel get killed. He was watching through binoculars. He told me that Estel and his team was out on patrol, and was on their way back to camp when they were ambushed. Also, in late 1968, an Officer came to our house from Nashville. He was one of the men who went out to recover Estel's body. He brought me the personal things that Estel had on him that day. I asked about the Bible that I had bought for him to take to Vietnam. The Officer told me that he picked it up, which was in about 30 pieces and was stained with blood so much that he didn't give it to me." "On the day he was killed, he received the Silver Star, which is the third highest medal in the nation. The most important thing that happened to him, he was saved and born again, gave his heart to Jesus one week before he went to Vietnam."
Sunday, June 16, 2002 |
|
|
|
|
