KING, EVERETT M. JR.

Name: Everett M. King, Jr.
Rank/Branch: E4 United States Army
Unit: 149th MI Battalion Provisional, 525th MI GP
Date of Birth: 14 August 1944
Home City of Record: Pleasanton, California
Date of Loss: 01 February 1968
Country of Loss: South Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 162734N 1073551E
Status (in 1973): Escapee
Category:
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: Ground

Other Personnel in Incident: Dierling, Edward A. USA (escaped) Gostas,
Theodore W. USA (released); Hayhurst, Robert A. USA (escaped)
Meyer, Lewis CIV (released); Rander, Donald J. USA (Released);
Stark, Lawrence J. CIV attached to USN (Released);

Source: Compiled by Everett King and provided to the
P.O.W. NETWORK 09/04/2003

I remember  Gostas, Rander, Hayhurst, Dierling and Wolk joined us
(Stark, Meyer, Ray and Myself) in our building.  SGT Ronald E. Ray was
hit by small arms fire on Jan 30 and died immediately.  CPL Barry L.
Wolk was hit by small arms fire on Jan. 31.  Barry died during the final
attack on our position on Feb. 1.  At the time of capture we were moved to
Manhard's villa west on Ly Thuong Keit (street).  I was left behind with an
NVA medic because I was not able to walk on a broken ankle and had multiple
wounds in both legs.  I never saw any of the other men after that. 

I escaped when the NVA became careless and left me alone late at night long
enough to "disappear" into a pile of rubble.  The NVA returned and did not locate
me in the dark and came under fire when they turned on a flashlight. The NVA
withdrew from the area almost immediately after their search, leaving me behind. 
I made contact with a Marine patrol the next day.  After release from an Army hospital,
I finished my time in the Army as an instructor at the US Army Intelligence School at
Ft. Holabird, MD.

I Was born in Kansas while my father was in the Army during WWII.  I grew up in
the town of Pleasanton, California.  I attended college for three years then enlisted
in the Army.  Basic training was at Ft. Benning, GA; AIT at Ft. Ord, CA; US Army
Intelligence School, Ft. Holabird, MD; DLI for German, Presidio, Monterey, CA;
assigned to 525th MI Group RVN.  Served in Saigon, Da Nang and Hue.

When I was discharged from the Army, I returned to college.  I remet a friend
(Evelyn Sykes) from high school.  We were married in 1969. Encouraged by a friend,
I accepted a job with the Alameda County Mosquito Abatement District,
where I served a 28 year career, retiring as the District Environmental Specialist
in 2000.  My wife Evelyn and I have two grown children, Evan M. and Melissa L. 
We currently live in Whitethorn, California.