A chain reaction led to that email coming from a brave man named Charles Endorf who was in Ben's platoon. At the reunion he was discussing Ben to a fellow and Charley told him he wished he could get ahold of Ben's family to tell us what he remembered. The man he was talking to (sorry, I do not know his name, but I thank him just as much) said he knew how and refered Charley to this web-site where Charley got the email addresses of me and my sister.

An email led to the telephone conversation where Charley did what no one in the past 40 has done. He brought closure. He told me there was no doubt in his mind Sgt Thompson drowned. He gently painted the picture in my minds eye how Ben missed the jump/dive to the bamboo crosses used to cross the river and went under in a swift stream of water. He told of another soldier in the water at the time went under to look for Ben, but to no avail. Charley told how it affected the men that day and how they refered to it later as 'the day Sgt. Thompson drowned.'

Charley also mailed a couple of pictures of Ben he's held onto for the last 40 years. Thats Charley (the tall handsome soldier) Ben and an unidentified soldier holding the python found in an abandoned hut while on patrol. Charley told me he was a few days shy of turning 20 years old the day Ben died. Ben recommended him for advancement and Charley says he probably wouldn't of made Sargeant if it hadn't of been for him. He told me how he's brought up Ben's name to his wife over the years. It warmed my soul to know another person loved him and remembers him. Thank you, Charley!

He also put me in contact with another soldier Dennis Erlandson who carried the radio and heard the call to the commanding officer in the helicopter above 'that Sgt Thompson was down and underwater.' Dennis shared how the commanding officer stated it was too dangerous for the platoon to be stationary and said if Ben was going to 'wash up' it would be in an area downstream where they went and searched, but no luck finding Ben.

If only our family had known this 41 years ago, I wouldn't have expected Ben to walk through the front door any day. With that, I say I pray to meet him in Heaven! God Bless all who serve!