Big Spring Vietnam Memorial

Charlie Lewis, founding member and driving force of the Big Spring Vietnam Memorial Committee, dear friend and brother, and a fine Marine has passed away. You will be missed and always remembered. Rest in peace. Semper Fi 🇺🇸

Happy 250th Birthday to the sharp end of the spear.

From the mud of World War II, through the frozen hills of Korea, to the jungles of Vietnam—Raymond Winfield Barlow Jr. never wavered. A son of Celina, Tennessee, he bore the burden of three wars, rising again and again to stand with his brothers in arms.

In 1967, during the thunder of Operation Junction City in Bình Dương Province, Barlow once more proved his steel. The Purple Heart, Bronze Star, and Army Commendation Medal marked his path, but it was his unshakable devotion to duty that defined him.

On April 27, 2008, at the age of 80, Barlow’s long march came to an end. Laid to rest in Middle Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery, his story endures as a banner of valor and patriotism—etched forever into the legacy of the American soldier.

📷 Photos: Jacobus CO Rentmeester, LIFE Magazine

Subject identified by World War Pictures

Captain Thomas J. Lyman stands proudly in front of his F-4B Phantom II after completing his 300th combat mission with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 323 (VMFA-323), the “Death Rattlers,” at Marine Air Base Chu Lai, Vietnam.

Three hundred combat sorties in the unforgiving skies of Vietnam was no small feat—it was a testament to both the resilience of the Marines who flew and the deadly missions they endured daily. For pilots like Capt. Lyman, each takeoff meant facing heavy anti-aircraft fire, SAMs, and MiGs, yet he climbed back into the cockpit again and again until this milestone was reached.

This moment, captured at Chu Lai, reflects both pride and exhaustion—the quiet resolve of a Marine aviator who carried the fight to the enemy day after day.

Remembering D-Day

Remember & Honor

Happy Birthday Marines!

"Our flag does not fly because the wind moves it. It flies with the last breath of each soldier who died protecting it." ~ Unknown