Vietnam Veteran Doug Miller Reflects on Fallen Friend Killed in Action
ASHLAND, Ohio — Vietnam War veteran Doug Miller is continuing to share powerful memories from his time in service, honoring the lives of those who never made it home.
In a recent reflection, Miller remembered his friend and fellow soldier, Tom Struchen, who was killed in action on March 23, 1969.
According to Miller, Struchen, just 21 years old, was serving with Troop A, 3rd Squadron, 5th Cavalry, 9th Infantry Division when tragedy struck. At approximately 4:50 p.m., his armored personnel carrier (APC) was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) during combat operations in Quang Tri Province, just south of the demilitarized zone (DMZ).
The attack occurred during Operation “Montana Mauler,” a mission targeting North Vietnamese Army (NVA) forces in the Khe Chua Valley, roughly eight miles northwest of the village of Cam Lo. In addition to Struchen’s death, four other soldiers inside the APC were wounded in the blast.
But beyond the battlefield, Miller remembers Struchen as more than a soldier.
A 1966 graduate of New Philadelphia High School, Struchen was a standout athlete who excelled in both basketball and baseball. Miller said he had the opportunity to play baseball alongside him during their high school years memories that remain just as vivid today as they were decades ago.
Struchen is one of 37 men from Tuscarawas County who lost their lives in the Vietnam War a sobering reminder of the sacrifice made by local families and communities.
Through stories like this, Miller continues to ensure those sacrifices are never forgotten.
“Rest in peace,” Miller shared. “You will never be forgotten.”
