'They will not take me alive'

TIFFIN — In honor of Veterans Day, the Seneca County Museum hosted a presentation Sunday, Nov. 9, by Sherry Weiker, who told the emotional and deeply personal story of her late husband Wayne's service in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Vietnam War. Weiker told Wayne's story entirely through his own words, using letters he sent home, photographs from his deployment and memories she carries to this day. Also on display were his medals, ribbons and keepsakes, representing different moments in his two years of service. According to Weiker, Wayne was drafted at 19 and trained for eight weeks at Camp Pendleton before being deployed overseas in 1966. He served as an infantry rifleman under MOS 0311 and was later transferred to the 1st Battalion, 9th Marines, commonly known as "The Walking Dead" for its devastating casualty rate and relentless combat. Among the many stories shared, Weiker recalled the day Wayne's engagement ring arrived in her mailbox, calling it a bittersweet memory, as it was the same day Wayne left for Vietnam. The following months were what she called frightful and uncertain, carried by letters that mixed tenderness with the harsh reality of war. In an excerpt from one of his letters about a recent combat scenario, Wayne wrote: I'm down to just three bullets. Two for them (VC) and one for me; they will not take me alive. Another haunting memory was shared as Weiker recounted a battle where Wayne fell asleep, waking up with his hands stuck together in dried blood. Of the 300 Marines who went into that engagement, only 65 made it out, and Wayne was one of 15 to escape uninjured. Weiker also spoke openly about the toll the war took on her husband after he returned home. She said that though he was honorably discharged at 21, the scars of Vietnam lingered for the remainder of his life. She described some of his experiences with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), noting that he never turned to drugs or alcohol to cope with his trauma. "He also seemed to have lost some of the patience he once had for ignorant people," Weiker said. The audience listened in near silence as Weiker's voice carried throughout the room. Several were seen wiping their eyes as she shared photos, maps and the stories behind them – pieces of a life shaped by love, sacrifice and survival.