This is a picture of James Callahan and me taken sometime prior to the battle of Xom Bo II. Doc Callahan was our medic and traveled with our command group most of the time. He was one of the few men that I was friends with during my time with the Black Lions Alpha Company. He was from a town not too far from where I lived which made a connection since so many of our men were from the southern states. We use to talk about what we planned to do when we got back to the States.
He probably surprised himself when the battle started and he found how important he was to the men he was traveling with. He had to make horrible hard decisions the day of the battle. He had to decide who he could really help and who were beyond our ability to help. I think that day changed Jim forever. Captain Sawtelle, First Sergeant Scott put Jim in for a Silver Star, but for some odd reason it was reduced to a Bronze Star with a “V” device. If any man should have received a Silver Star – Jim was it.
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