Vietnam Veteran From Florida Had 3 Radios Shot Off His Back

Navy Veteran Had Radios Shot Off His Back In Vietnam
Greensville Sun
Brad Hicks
April 11, 2016

It was Ronald B. Coleman's job to ensure that vital communications were maintained in the most perilous of conditions.

On Saturday, the Vietnam War veteran was surrounded by his wife and friends as he was honored with a Quilt of Honor, Respect and Valor by the Greene County Quilters.

Coleman, 69, was born in Baltimore, Md. When he was around 9, Coleman's father, who worked for what would become the Martin Marietta Corporation, was transferred to Denver, Colo.

After residing in the Mile High City for around eight years, Coleman's father was transferred to Orlando, Fla. In 1967, the 20-year-old Coleman volunteered for military service, opting to do so rather than being drafted. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy and achieved the rank of Petty Officer Third Class.

After deciding to enlist, Coleman was soon faced with the decision on where to attend boot camp. His options where the Naval Training Center in San Diego, Calif., or the Recruit Training Command in Great Lakes, Ill. "They gave me a choice of San Diego or Great Lakes," Coleman said.

"And that Florida boy did not want Great Lakes," his wife, Darryl, added.

Following this training and about a month after arriving in the Vietnamese city of Da Nang, Coleman was transferred to the northern I Corps at the Cua Viet Naval Base along the Cua Viet River. Coleman said the base was located only around 3 miles from North Vietnam.
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