Bradley Boswell, a senior at Freedom High School in Bethlehem Township, presents Principal Joseph McIntyre the abstract wood sculpture Bradley made for the school’s sculpture garden. The photo ran in The Morning Call of Allentown on June 4, 1969.
While going through my files on my cousin Nicky who was killed in Vietnam, I came across some clippings I had tucked away years ago. They come from an old file envelope in the archives of The Morning Call and concern a young Marine named Bradley L. Boswell.
I don’t know how I knew about him, but it’s clear why I copied the two newspaper clippings and saved them.
Bradley met a fate similar to Nicky’s.
A corporal from Bethlehem Township, he was 20 years old when he was killed in Vietnam when a grenade accidentally went off during routine training. It happened on Sept. 15, 1970, in Quang Nam province.
Nicky, an Army helicopter pilot, was also 20 when he died under similar circumstances more than a year earlier, at Chu Lai.
I know little about Bradley other than what’s in the two clips. One is headlined “Marine Loses Life in Grenade Accident” and has a photo of him in his dress uniform. He was a 1969 graduate of Freedom High School in Bethlehem Township, he intended to be a career Marine and enlisted in July 1969 – the month Nicky was killed.
The other clip says “Freedom Opens Sculpture Garden” and has a photo of Bradley presenting Freedom’s principal a large abstract wood sculpture for the school’s sculpture garden in early June 1969. It had taken Bradley the entire school year to complete.
Bradley’s sister Betty Jane Schmoyer, who goes by B.J., said there was no open casket to view his remains, so the family never had the opportunity to say goodbye to him, and that was hard to take.
“You still think he’s going to come through that door,” she said.
The family never got a full explanation from the military about the circumstances of Bradley’s death, B.J. said. That was also the case with the grenade explosion that mortally wounded Nicky and his friend Billy Vachon, and killed another soldier, Tim Williams, on July 10, 1969, at LZ Bayonet.
B.J. said her sister Barbara Boswell tried to find out more and even had contact with guys in Bradley’s unit. But B.J. doesn’t know what came of that, and Barbara, a Navy veteran, died in 2003.
Bradley’s mother died in 1980 and his father died in 2002.
Besides Bradley, Nicky, Billy and Tim, I wonder how many others lost their lives in Vietnam when grenades went off by accident.
David Venditta 
I ran across his grave a few weeks ago, I was sadden by his young age. Every time I walk past the cemetery I stop and pay my respects
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David,
My name is Jim “Wildman” Linton. I received the nickname from our LT. while stationed at LZ Bayonet July 1969 to March 70. I was there when your cousin Nicky and the others died. Our team was one of the next groups to go to the range for training. It was being held in the bleachers outside the classroom due to the damage from the explosion. Evidently Nicky, the others and I arrived at the same time except they came in via Cam Ran and I via Bien Hoa. I believe our training was the following day after the explosion. I don’t have anything more to offer as far as evidence than what you have in the book. What I may have is a possible explanation as to why this never was reported.
Within two weeks of each other there were two incidents of deaths at Bayonet. One being the grenade and the other being the murder of Dennis Cabe who was shot to death in the orderly/commo room of H Troop 17th Cavalry. This took place July 22, 1969, between 10:00 and 1:00. The reasoning for the variance in time is because we had been told to stand down in the hooch’s until daylight.
From what I have been able to gather an E-6 NCO had flipped out and left the EM Club firing his pistol throughout the compound for an extended period of time. Our track commanders came around to the hooch’s telling us to stand down until they tell us differently. Flares were fired throughout the night as they searched for him. The following morning, we were allowed to clear the barracks as if nothing happened.
Something did happen. Dennis was dead and his body was removed from the area. The area was cleaned up and the Staff Sgt. was taken away. No charges were filed and all that I could find out was that he was sent away. We have discussed this incident several times at our yearly troop reunions, and no one has been able to find out who the Sgt. was. Dennis had nine days left when he died. Talking to his family is the same as what you faced. The date that you said of July 23, 1969, for what little was reported is the day they released us from the hooch’s after everything was cleaned away.
This may not mean a thing, but safety was being pushed and two incidences of these importances isn’t something wanted to be known.
Be well,
Jim 3rd Plt.
LZ Bayonet 69-70
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Hi Jim,
Thank you for writing and telling me about a second tragedy at LZ Bayonet, one that I never knew about.
In the 20 years of research for my book on my cousin Nicky, during which I spoke with many Americal veterans who’d been at Chu Lai, no one ever mentioned there was a homicide on the LZ just 12 days after the grenade accident killed Nicky and two others. And in both cases, guys died at the hands of sergeants at a time of emphasis on safety.
I’m not surprised you and others from your troop didn’t know who the crazed sergeant was and what became of him. It was the same with the sergeant who unwittingly tossed a live grenade while lecturing in the orientation building. He went “bonkers,” as one captain put it, over what he’d done and was taken away and quickly sent home.
I see that Spec. 4 Dennis Stewart Cabe, an armor reconnaissance specialist, was just 21 and from Dillard, Georgia. And as you noted, he was just days away from going home. How very sad. Cause of death: homicide. Did you know him? Also, you mentioned he was killed in H Troop’s “orderly/commo room.” What was that room used for, exactly?
I’d like to write about what you’ve told me. Are you OK with my using your name? Where do you live? Do I have it right that you were in 3rd Platoon, H Troop, 17th Cavalry? Was Cabe also in 3rd Platoon? What did you do, how did you act, that led the lieutenant to nickname you “Wildman”? Were you ever hurt during your tour? Did you have close calls? Do you have photos of yourself in Vietnam, and of LZ Bayonet, that I could use?
Feel free to contact me by email at cdvend55@gmail.com or on my iPhone at 610-295-7552. I’m in Allentown, Pa.
Again, Jim, thanks for reaching out to me with your memories of 55 years ago. You knocked me for a loop.
Peace,
David
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David,
Sorry about the delay in getting back to you but the health took a dive and I had to be hospitalized. I am in the process of getting many tests readying me for upcoming aneurysm surgery. I will get back to you via email when things settle down.
In the meantime, you can contact me at the following email or online web link, if needed. jlinton1@comcast.net. I’ll reply as I am able.
Jim “Wildman” Linton
jlinton1@comcast.
https://h-troop17thcav.com
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Hi Jim, sorry to hear you need surgery and hope it goes well. I’m going to send you an email.
David
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