Bound by war and a friend

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Bound by war and a friend
Vietnam vets haven't forgotten Gresham's William L. Sperb, 36 years after his death
Friday, November 11, 2005
ERIC MORTENSON

It's midafternoon on April 14, 1969, and a Marine rifle company in South Vietnam has taken casualties. A CH-46 helicopter lifts off to pick up the wounded, heading to a jungle-shrouded hill south of Da Nang called Charlie Ridge, because it's so favored by the Viet Cong.

Onboard are a couple of tough, seasoned pilots; an ingenious, decorated crew chief nicknamed Gooie; a pair of door gunners manning .50-caliber machine guns; a combat photographer who talked his way aboard; and Navy Corpsman William L. Sperb."