Vietnam Memorial Names – Norman Kidd, Greg Kelly, John Lee

This continues our review of the lives of the men on Montrose’s Vietnam Memorial.

Norman Richard Kidd, May 26, 1967 – Norman grew up in Cleveland, Ohio. He was active in high school, captain of the basketball team, and vice president of the senior class. He graduated in 1954 and joined the Army. He was interested in flying so he trained as a helicopter pilot. As he moved around the U.S., he rose to the rank of captain. We don’t know what his connection to CV was, just that his “home of record” on his Army paperwork was Montrose. By 1967 he had a wife and daughter. Perhaps they lived in Montrose.

The 30-year-old Captain Kidd was sent to Vietnam in advance of his unit, as their choppers had not arrived yet. Norman was eager to see some action. His chance came on the night of May 26 when a call came in from a nearby South Vietnamese unit that had made contact with the enemy, but lost them in the dark. They requested that a couple of helicopters come and try to flush them out. Norman volunteered to pilot one of the two choppers. A half-hour later they found the South Vietnamese unit and fanned out above the surrounding jungle. They searched in the dark for an hour.

In low visibility, compounded by bad weather, the two helos hit each other head-on and exploded in flames. Nine men including Norman Kidd died instantly. Norman had been in Vietnam just four days. He was awarded the Bronze Star.

Gregory Paul Kelly, June 10, 1967 – Greg grew up on the 3800 block of Altura, went to Lincoln Elementary, Clark Jr. High and Hoover High, graduating in 1962. He was a model student, participating in the Key Club, photo club and yearbook staff. After a couple of years at Glendale College he transferred to the Brooks Institute of Photography. His dream was to become a wildlife photographer.

Greg joined the Marines in 1966, arriving in Vietnam as a corporal. On May 8, 1967, his small patrol unit was providing rear-guard for a battalion-sized “search-and-destroy” operation. They were ambushed from behind by a Viet Cong unit armed with several heavy automatic weapons. It was a slaughter. Six Marines were killed outright and several more wounded. Greg was hit in the head and arm. He was transported to the hospital ship USS Repose. He lingered, never regaining consciousness, and died a month later.

Just as Greg had been a model student, he was a model Marine. His commanding officer described him as “the best. With a hundred like him, the rest could go home.” On Greg’s headstone his parents inscribed: “The strength of your character, the unselfishness of your bravery, the sparkle of your smile will forever be our inspiration. Our pride in you, Greg, is endless.”

John Patrick Lee, June 19, 1967 – John’s large family moved to California from New York in 1956. By 1963, they had moved to the 2500 block of Kemper in La Crescenta, and John was able to graduate from CV High in ’64. For two years, he worked at Ralph’s during the day and attended Glendale College at night. But in 1966, he was drafted into the Army. He became a medic and was deployed to Vietnam in February 1967.

As John approached his 21st birthday, his family recorded messages on a reel-to-reel tape and packed up a cake, timed to arrive on his birthday, June 19. It’s doubtful he ever heard their recording for by then he had been dropped off in the Mekong Delta by patrol boats for a major battle, the Second Battle of Ap Bac, in which 47 Americans were killed. John was initially reported as Missing In Action as no body was found. It was later determined that he had been hit by an artillery shell, which made identification of his body difficult. John was awarded the Bronze Star. He had died on his 21st birthday. John’s brother Mike still searches for veterans who knew him, as do so many families who were torn apart by tragedy.

  mike lawler