Rick Eggburtus Medaris

The database page for Rick Eggburtus Medaris

19 Aug 2003 "To live in the hearts we leave behind, is never to have died." (Thomas Campbell, circa 1888) My grandpa Harry Medaris, Rick's father, is still living (76). Rick lives in his heart, and in ours too. From his niece, Christy Borgeld bbunch0701@sbcglobal.net

11 Sep 2003 Find the cost of freedom buried in the ground, Mother Earth will swallow you, Lay your body down KEC 09-11-03 E-Mail will be forwarded by the Webmaster@VirtualWall.org

20 Nov 2005 I was a high school student the day SSG Medaris went missing. I happened to get a MIA bracelet with Medaris' name on it. Coincidentially the date he went missing was only a week from my birthday. I had put the bracelet in a box a long time ago and hadn't looked at it in a while. My family was watching an episode of "Cold Case" on TV when the theme was about POW's in Vietnam. My wife asked me if I still had the MIA bracelet. That's when I looked up Medaris's name on the internet and discovered this web site. I am glad that at least he was found in order to give some closure to his family. Dan Chepeska chepesd1@sbcglobal.net

03 Jul 2006 Both Rick and I were the same age and grew up in the same Wyoming, Michigan neighborhood and attended Godwin Heights High School. I remember that he lived on the south side of 36th, on Dunbar Street I think. We were high school classmates and really just only acquainted other than a minor altercation years earlier with my older brother John while we were walking to the old World War I unfinished picric acid plant. I went into the army in June, 1968 and completed basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky. At the end of basic, I got orders for AIT at Fort Polk, LA. Just before leaving, I remember going with a few friends down to the barracks where the new guys were coming in to see if there was anyone we would know. Rick was there. I hadn't seen him since high school. We talked a bit. Both of us enjoyed seeing each other, just because we knew each other and had come from the same place. I think it gave us both some small measure of comfort. I spent 14 months assigned to a MACV Advisory Team in the South Vietnam central highlands. After I got out in January 1970, I read that Rick had gone MIA in November. I thought about that last conversation we had. Some years later, he was confirmed KIA. I attended a couple of Godwin Heights High School class of 67 re-unions, the 5th and 20th. There weren't very many graduates in that class who had gone to Vietnam. No one seemed to want to talk about the war or the loss of Rick. I still think about Rick a couple times year, usually around Veteran's day or the 4th of July. I didn't know him very well, but I'll never forget him, our last meeting - and his sacrifice. Respectfully, Mike Magnan mmagnan@aol.com

30 Nov 2006 Muggs, my friend. My, how the years have passed. As I recall you had a girlfriend in Michigan and we probably talked about cars. I have been a long time in making this contact, and had often thought of calling your folks. But time has lost most of my memory of VN. It was not until Steve Thompson returned home that I heard of your crash. I was deeply saddened to hear of the loss of my room mate. See you in the light of our Lord. John John W. Pearce Salina, Kansas 67401 johnpearce@cox.net

11 Mar 2007 My name is Deborah, I have worn Rick's MIA-POW bracelet since 1971 and still do to this day. Even though Rick died at age 20, his spirit has been lots of places with me. He has been to all my family functions and when I was single he visited a lot of bars and he did a lot of dancing. He has been on cruises and visited Europe, Hawaii, and all over the U.S. with a bunch of friends. I am so grateful and proud of the sacrifice he made so that I had the opportunity to watch my boy grow up. He must be proud of his family for arranging this place so people that cared for him can share stories. I now have a 'sense' of the person behind this 'name' I have carried with me for the past 36 years. When I read this site I cried, some tears sad, but most tears happy. Rick has family and friends who love him and no matter how long we live, that is the one thing that matters most. Deborah Manna scriobh21@juno.com

14 Aug 2007 As our 40th Class reunion of Godwin High School, Wyoming, Michigan approaches, you come to our minds again Rick. Thank you for your service, and your sacrifice. You are missed. John Bloomquist Veteran Representative AZ State DES Job Service wjb004@hotmail.com

A Note from The Virtual Wall Seven men died when a UH-1H (hull number 68-16057) belonging to the 192nd Assault Helicopter Company went down on 04 Nov 1969 during a routine administrative flight from Ninh Hoa to the 155th Avn Co (AHC) located at Ban Me Thout, RVN: CPT Alfonso Roque Castro, pilot, 192nd AHC CW2 John Steven Anderson, pilot, 192nd AHC SP6 Allan Gordon Kennedy, gunner, 192nd AHC SSG Marion Lee Roach, crew chief, 192nd AHC SSG Rick Eggburtus Medaris, passenger, 155th AHC SSG John Allen Payne, passenger, 155th AHC SP5 Richard Gene Bauer, passenger, 155th AHC The crash site was located on 09 Jul 1973 and the remains of all seven men were recovered.

The point-of-contact for this memorial is his niece, Christy Borgeld bbunch0701@sbcglobal.net

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With all respect
Jim Schueckler, former CW2, US Army
Ken Davis, Commander, United States Navy (Ret)
Memorial first published on 19 Aug 2003
Last updated 03/22/2008