This "empty chair" sits at the table which is the life of Joe A. Schlatter, Colonel, U.S. Army (Retired):
Russell Slough, CPT, USA
Record Details
--- General / Personal ---
Last name: SLOUGH, First name: RUSSELL EUGENE
Home of Record (official): DIMMITT, State (official): TX
Date of Birth: Friday, September 1, 1944. Sex: Male. Race: Caucasian. Marital Status: Single
--- Military ---
Branch: Army. Rank: CPT. Serial Number: 467660896.
Component: Regular. Pay grade: O3. MOS (Military Occupational Specialty code): 1193
--- Action ---
Start of Tour: Friday, March 28, 1969
Date of Casualty: Wednesday, June 24, 1970
Age at time of loss: 25
Casualty type: (A2) Hostile, died of wounds
Reason: Artillery, rocket, mortar (Ground casualty)
Country: South VietNam. Province: Thua Thien
The Wall: Panel 09W - Row 089Russell Slough, Captain, U.S. Army, Field Artillery, died of wounds in June 1970.
Russ was a graduate of Texas A&M. We met at Fort Sill in Artillery Officer's Basic Course in the summer of 1967. From there we went to Ranger school where we were paired as Ranger buddies.
During the Florida phase of Ranger school, I came down with serious stomach cramps, probably from bad water or food poisoning. I was about to drop out. Russ carried my gear and covered for me for most of a day while I shook it off. If he had not done that for me, I would never have made it.
We went our separate ways and both ended up in Nam in 1969. I was with 2/13 FA in II Corps, he was with the Fourth Division. One day, we took log and there was an issue of Army Times in the mailbag. I saw Russ listed as died of wounds.
Later I made a rubbing of his name on the Wall and have it framed in my home.
Russ was like the rest of us -- a young guy doing what he needed to do.
I have tried to live for both of us since.