“Once a Black Lion, Always a Black Lion”: Vietnam Veteran Doug Miller Remembers Fallen Comrade Harold McDonald
ASHLAND, Ohio — Vietnam War veteran Doug Miller is once again sharing a personal reflection from his time in the jungles of Vietnam, honoring a fallen brother-in-arms as part of his ongoing “This Day in History” series.
Miller’s remembrance marks April 2, 1970, the day 22-year-old Harold McDonald was killed in action while serving with Alpha Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry, 1st Air Cavalry Division.
According to Miller, McDonald was killed by an explosive fragmentation device during a search-and-destroy mission in Tay Ninh Province, near the Cambodian border, a region known for intense combat operations during the war.
But for Miller, McDonald was far more than a name on a casualty list.
Before his reassignment, McDonald had served eight months alongside Miller and fellow soldiers in the 1st Platoon, Delta Company, 2nd Battalion, 28th Regiment, known as the famed “Black Lions” of the 1st Infantry Division.
“He was our M-60 machine gunner and a person you could always depend on,” Miller recalled, emphasizing the trust and bond formed among soldiers in combat.
McDonald’s reassignment came on February 26, 1970, when the 1st Infantry Division “cased its colors” and redeployed to Fort Riley, Kansas signaling the unit’s departure from Vietnam. Like many soldiers during that transition, McDonald was transferred to another active combat unit, ultimately joining the 1st Air Cavalry Division.
Just over a month later, he would lose his life in combat.
Miller noted that in a platoon photograph taken before the unit’s redeployment, McDonald can be seen seated in the front row, first on the right, a lasting image of a young soldier remembered not just for his service, but for his character.
“RIP Harold, you will never be forgotten,” Miller said. “Once a ‘Black Lion,’ always a ‘Black Lion.’”
Through stories like this, Miller continues to preserve the memories of those who served and those who never made it home ensuring their sacrifices are not lost to time.
