Willis Dubbs

Lancers Member
From: "Scott Kennedy"
Monday, January 5, 2009

Hi, your website was given to me. My uncle served in Vietnam.

His headstone has the following Willis Eugene Dubbs 1/27/46 to 4/27/71 158th Aviation BTN. 

I received a message that he served with the Lancers Platoon. I have been trying to find out about his military history. I do not know when he served.

His parents lived in Dover, Pa. He died in a car accident in Thomasville Pa. in 1971. Any help would be helpful.

John is buried in the SUSQUEHANNA MEMORIAL GARDENS cemetery in York PA. About 150 yards or so from the huge white USA letters and flags.

His plot is not far from a pair of bushes and looking towards the farm fields.

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From: Bruce Nesmith, Lancer536
To: Scott Kennedy
Monday, January 5, 2009

Willis Dubbs

Scott, I had not thought about Dubbs for nearly forty years until I saw your e-mail posted on the Lancer site. I remember what he looked like back then, but don’t remember many details of his service. I can tell you that he was one of the original members of B Company, 158th Assault Helicopter Battalion, 101st Airborne Division.

He joined the company in Fort Carson Colorado in 1968 and shipped over with us on February 18, 1969. We were based at Camp Evans which was located about 30 miles south of the DMZ. I am may be wrong, but I think Dubbs was part of the motor pool contingent (don’t remember whether he was a driver or mechanic), was the CO’s driver for a while, and flew some as a door gunner.

Willis was one of those unsung individuals who hung in there and did his job, whatever it was that day, to the best of his ability; and who made it possible for the unit to function.

You can go to our web site at www.thelancers.org for information on our history and actions in Vietnam. Most of the info relates to our aviation history, but our hueys would not have flown if men like your uncle had not been working day and night to help keep them and their crews in the air.

Sincerely,

Bruce Nesmith, Lancer536
Lancer July 1968 through April 25, 1970