Between the years 1965 to 1968 the Vietnam War claimed the lives of nine men from Shelby County, Texas. Their average age was 24 with the youngest being 21 and the oldest 37. Two were African-American, two are buried in the same cemetery, four of them knew each other as kids, two arrived in Vietnam on the same day and 3 were assigned to the same infantry division. Eight were serving in the US Army and one in the US Navy with one being a commissioned officer and the other eight enlisted ranging from Private First Class to Sergeant. In the next few weeks we will honor each of them for their sacrifice in our series titled “Welcome Home”.
WILLIAM HENRY EADEN Sergeant, US Army Vietnam War William Henry Eaden of Timpson, Texas was the first casualty of the Vietnam War in Shelby County. He was a career soldier having joined the Army on December 13th, 1961 and took his basic training at Fort Chaffee, Arkansas. Before Vietnam he had tours in Germany and Fort Riley, Kansas. Shortly after joining the Army he and his wife Oletha were married in 1962 and later a son, Chargois was born. His tour in Vietnam began on October 7, 1965 with A Troop, 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry, 1st Infantry Division. His military occupation specialty was 11D40, Armor Reconnaissance Specialist. Just over a month into his tour Sergeant Eaden was killed in action on November 12 th 1965 in the Binh Duong Province of South Vietnam. Mr. Danny Slaughter who served in Vietnam with Sergeant Eaden and now lives in Lavonia, Georgia emailed me the following “He was a wonderful man. He was a recon scout with A Troop Ist Sqd 4th Cavalry 1st Inf Div Lia Khe Vietnam. He was track commander for A23. We
were together for almost 2 years. He was the most liked Sergeant in our troop. A very brave man and I say a prayer for those men every night. He died in battle AP Bau Bang Nov 12 1965. You can read about Bau Bang on 4th Cav. web site. Thank You Danny Slaughter Philippians 4:5 In all things, give thanks”. I also found this tribute from December 2004 to Sergeant Eaden from a fellow soldier Fred Spinks “I don't know, if I knew you personally, but I'm sure we fought in the same battle. I lost so many buddies, that day on November 12, 1965. It was called, the battle, of Ba Bang. We lost 150, soldiers. We really didn’t have much, of a chance. There were 1500, Viet Cong against our 450, soldiers. I wouldn't be here, if it weren't for the Air Force dropping napalm, on them. We all did our best and I’m proud of you for fighting for our country” (Vietnam Veterans Memorial – The Wall USA). Funeral services for Sergeant Eaden were held on Wednesday, November 24 th, 1965 at the Mt. Gillion Church with Rev. T. J. Ingram and Rev. S. Lilly officiating. He was buried in the Mt. Gillion cemetery with full military honors. The burial flag was presented to his wife by a 2 nd Lieutenant Jackson. Sergeant Eaden’s parents were McNeal (1909–1986) and Clabie Booth (1910–2002) Eaden. He had four sisters, Pauline Edwards of Center, Texas, Limmie Lister (1931-2010), Learldine Earl of Victoria, Texas, Leacy Brown of Houston, Texas and two brothers, Dewall Eaden of Houston, Texas and the late Mack Ervin Eaden (1942-1986). He was a member of the Mt. Gillion Baptist Church and graduated from the Timpson Colored School with the class of 1959. He also attended Texas Southern University in Houston for a period of time. His sister Pauline Edwards and wife Oletha both remember him as a loveable, easygoing man.
This is a copy of an actual rubbing from the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
Sergeant Eaden’s name can be found at Panel 3E, Line 42
Buried at Mt. Gillion Cemetery, Shelby County, Texas
Sergeant William Henry Eaden Purple Heart, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal with 1 Bronze Service Star and Vietnam Service Medal