Comments by Karl Lowe:

We lost three soldiers in Cambodia and one in Vietnam during the time I commanded D Company 6th Battalion 31st Infantry.  They are men who will remain forever young in our memories and when we old veterans meet, we speak of them still with reverence, not for the fact that they died in the service of their country, but because of the decent people that they were. 

Lieutenant Morgan Weed was from Decatur, Alabama.  He arrived in Vietnam on the same plane I was on.  He stood out from among the group of lieutenants on the plane for several reasons--he was taller than most, built like a football player, had a shock of gleaming blond hair, and wore an almost constant smile, reflecting his natural good humor.  He seemed to make quick friends wherever he went.  We went through go Devil Academy together at Tan An and on the last day of the course when we learned we were both going to the 6-31st Infantry, he said he hoped he could serve in my company.  I was scheduled to take command of C Company in February and Morgan was assigned to D Company.  We were both disappointed, but fate soon intervened in a way neither of us would have wished.  On January 20, 1970, Captain Everett D Keaton, Morgan's company commander, was killed in action.  I took command that evening as the company returned from the field.  In the months that followed, Morgan became adept at small unit tactics and patrolling--a solid, dependable officer.  The only grief he gave me was his dislike of a helmet, which he shed at every opportunity.  I cut officers no slack so it became a game for him to see if he could get away with it when he thought I wasn't around.  By the time we went into Cambodia in May 1970, Morgan was my most experienced platoon leader.  I selected his platoon to accompany me on the battalion's first airmobile assault into Cambodia.  We took 13 prisoners that day and fought off a company size attack with no losses.  Three days later at Tnaot, Morgan was again in the thick of it, personally bringing additional grenades up to the 2d Platoon in the city's center.  Rather than return immediately to his own platoon, he lingered in the fight "just helping out a little", joining Cliff Macomber and me in covering Dennis Walker and Dan Wood as they assaulted a string of bunkers.  As I dashed across the street to answer a radio call from our battalion commander, an explosion behind me knocked me off my feet.  Morgan had suffered severe fragmentation wounds to the back of the head and was uttering his last words ---"Don't worry about me, I'll be all right, take care of the others".  Morgan died at the 24th Evac Hospital some time the next night, just days before his wife Carolie gave birth to their daughter Stephanie.  She can be proud of the dad she never had the good fortune to meet--Morgan was a hero and an inspiration to us all. 

Photo courtesy of John Bayer

Left to Right - (standing); John Bayer (Niner Delta), Walt Rutherford, XO; Karl Lowe, CO; Morgan Weed, 3rd Plt Ldr;  - (kneeling): Jim Takacs, 1st Plt Ldr; Jim Puhala, 2nd Plt Ldr.

Following Comments courtesy of Dennis Walker:

Morgan William Weed will remain in my heart until the day I die. He performed the bravest act of heroism humanly possible. During an intense fire fight the 2nd platoon had extinguished much of it's ammunitions. Lt Weed's platoon was positioned near the fighting, and clearly understood how intense it was. Lt. Weed was asked to re-supply the second platoon with ammunitions. Lt. Weed could have ordered anyone of his men to perform this unattractive task, but he did it. With the sounds of machine guns, mortars, and rockets filling the air Lt Weed gathered grenades, and walked into hell. He wasn't ordered to do it, and only god know why he did it. I would venture to guess it was because his heart was bigger than he was. His bravery was beyond most peoples comprehension. On that day Lt. Weed offered his life instead of someone else's. Words do not describe the life time admiration, respect, and love I feel for Lt. Weed.

Dennis Walker