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Lest we forqetSgt. Maj. Earl BiggsEarl Biggs of Matheny has come home, 22 years after his death in Vietnam. At long last, his family can put him to rest and try to get on with their lives.Biggs, a sergeant major in the U.S. Army Special Forces, was serving as an advisor to the Vietnamese army near the Cambodian border. On Jan. 16, 1968, they were overrun by Viet Cong ana Biggs was killed.For 10 years he was listed as missing in action. That was the first pang of grief suffered by his family.In 1978 he was officially listed as having been killed in action. That was another pain inflicted on the family.Last year, Biggs’ remains were turned over to U.S. authorities. along with the remains of 21 other servicemen. They were flown to Honolulufor identification, from there to an Air Force base in San Francisco.Today, the family copes with the final pain of laying Biggs to rest in his native Wyoming County.But that will not totally relieve the pain of his family, nor any family who has suffered in similar fashion. Left with mementos and memories, they can never rid themselves of the sense of loss — particularly one endured for 22 years.No amount of rhetoric about the glory of serving one’s country can cut through such grief. Nor, for that matter, can time alone serve to curb it.America’s best effort toward Earl Biggs is to praise his memory for his sacrifice — and pray that we never have to send our young men off to war.
Newspaper Details
Beckley Register Herald
Beckley, West Virginia, US
Tue, Jan 23, 1990
Page 4
Full Page
Clipped by
Daisy H.
WV, USA 30 May 2017
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