ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – In understanding why we honor the brave military men and women who have fallen in service to our country, it’s important to recognize what made this sacrifice so significant. While we cannot hear the fallen’s words directly, their messages still live in the ones who are left behind. Ron Smith, or “Doc” as he’s known to most, was a Marine Corpsman during the Vietnam War and has a deeper connection than most when it came to knowing the men next to him.

“I was 19 years old, and I was responsible for the health, the well-being, everything for 50 Marines. Had quite a few friends that I palled around with, and lost three of them over there,” Doc recalled. “But they were like me. We were all gung-ho wanting to do what our dads did, you know.”

In the Taylor County Veterans Memorial and Plaza, Doc scanned the bricks laid throughout the memorial, which carry the names of soldiers from many of America’s conflicts. Doc said he knows some of the names present within the Taylor County Memorial, but one name that isn’t found is that of a young Marine named Andy Latessa. Doc Smith described a day with Latessa that he says will never leave his memory.

“There was a minefield behind me, and there were some Marine engineers trying to get rid of those things. There was a horrible explosion. Gerald Weaver died right away,” Doc shared. “My other friend, another corpsman, actually went in there with me, and he helped. He worked on Gerald, and I worked on Andy Latessa, and Andy… I was able to get him out. We got him on the chopper, but he died just the next day. This ring that I wear was his.”

After Latessa’s passing in Vietnam, the Marine Corps ring that was around his finger when he died went to his family, where the Marine’s father wore it for several years. After some time had passed, Doc Smith ended up meeting with Latessa’s family and formed a close friendship with Andy Latessa’s father. After Latessa’s father had passed, Doc was a pallbearer for his funeral, and the family ultimately gifted the ring to Doc Smith. Doc now wears the ring every day as a symbol to honor those lost and speaks to what he feels is important to consider when remembering our fallen heroes.

“That’s the thing. You hope and you pray that the sacrifice that they made made a difference.”

If you or someone you know would like to honor a fallen veteran by placing a brick with their name on it to be immortalized at the Taylor County Veteran Memorial and Plaza, you can find more information on the Taylor County Veterans’ Service Office website or by calling (325) 674-1328.