Sergeant Andrew K. Bailey volunteered for
Vietnam. He became Assistant Gunner for Section Four of A Btry.
2/32 Artillery, later he was a Gunner. He was injured in a mortar
attack at French Fort on Sept. 18, 1968. He suffered a traumatic
brain injury (TBI). It took Andy years to recover. He met and fell
in love with his wife Beth Banks. They married and were happy for
several years when she suddenly died from a rare disease. Andy was
devastated.
He then moved to Florida where people took advantage of
him because of his brain injury. He eventually lost contact with
his family and died in 2006, broke and homeless. He was buried in
Davison, Michigan, in an
unmarked grave next to
his beloved wife.
Shortly after his death Mel Major, his buddy from
Gun Section Four took up the cause to obtain "A Stone For Sergeant
Bailey" and the work began. Mel enlisted the help of Larry
Kleinschmidt in 2011 and Andy's story began to appear on this
website. In August, 2011 Chuck Healey sent us a
CBS News Clip about
military headstones and the company that produces them.
Larry then
wrote to Mr. Todd Robertson at
Vermont Quarries who
generously donated the headstone. Larry next wrote to Mr. Jeff
Martell at
Granite Industries of Vermont
who generously donated the inscription work and shipped the stone to
Michigan. In September, 2011, Mel took delivery of the stone and
transported it to
Meadowview Memorial Gardens, Davison, Michigan
where Mr. Michael Butts graciously installed it for us. On April
28, 2012 we held a dedication service for Andy with full
military honors. Andy can now rest in peace with the honor and
dignity which he earned when he walked among the Proud Americans at
French Fort.
We wish to thank the contributors mentioned above who so generously
gave of their time and resources so that Sergeant Bailey could have
the honor and dignity he earned in service to our country.
View
the Dedication Ceremony:
Part
I
Part II
Part III
(Listen to Andy's voice from
Vietnam, 1968!)
