Ted Sampley passes
Rurick emails that POW/MIA advocate Ted Sampley has passed;
Sampley served several tours of duty in Vietnam in the U.S. Army and won four Bronze Stars, the Army Commendation Medal and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, among other honors. He was honorably discharged during 1973.
His work with prisoner of war and missing in action groups didn’t start in earnest until 1983, when he led groups demanding that the United States put pressure on Vietnam to release POWs or explain what happened to them.
I never met Mr Sampley, but I know a number of our readers have. I am, however familiar with his work. He was against John Kerry years before Kerry ran for President. And because his concern for MIA/POWs was nonpartisan, he also actively campaigned against John McCain.
Conservative talk-show host Rush Limbaugh mentioned Sampley on his national radio broadcast in 2004 for an incident with Kerry when the senator from Massachusetts allegedly gave Sampley a vulgar finger gesture in front of school children at the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C. Sampley also helped create the Web site “Vietnam Veterans against John McCain.”
I’d heard last week that Mr. Sampley wasn’t well and asked two of our members who knew him to write something for us, but it didn’t come to fruition before Mr. Sampley succumbed. There are details of his memorial service at his website US Veteran Dispatch.
The viewing and funeral will be together at 3 PM on Sunday at the Tanglewood Baptist Church located at 2103 Rouse Road, Kinston NC. I will be arriving on Saturday. If you come be prepared for story telling about the man we have all come to love.
None of us always agreed with Mr. Sampley, but none of us can deny that he was driven to find the answers to the questions that families had about about our missing troops and he never let his personal politics get in the way. We are all richer because he was here with us, and we’re poorer because he’s gone. Maybe he’ll finally find out what happened to those POW/MIAs now.
Category: Blue Skies
Well Hell! No one else apparently is going to say it, I will!
Ted Sampley: Thank you for you service, your friendship, guidance and time on this rock called Earth. My heart is saddened. You stood your ground constantly. I always admired you for that.
Thank you Ted for being the man, a friend and an inspiration you were in the short amount of time we had together.
I have nothing else to say.
“Fiddlers Green”
Halfway down the trail to Hell,
In a shady meadow green
Are the Souls of all dead troopers camped,
Near a good old-time canteen.
And this eternal resting place
Is known as Fiddlers’ Green.
Marching past, straight through to Hell
The Infantry are seen.
Accompanied by the Engineers,
Artillery and Marines,
For none but the shades of Cavalrymen
Dismount at Fiddlers’ Green.
Though some go curving down the trail
To seek a warmer scene.
No trooper ever gets to Hell
Ere he’s emptied his canteen.
And so rides back to drink again
With friends at Fiddlers’ Green.
And so when man and horse go down
Beneath a saber keen,
Or in a roaring charge of fierce melee
You stop a bullet clean,
And the hostiles come to get your scalp,
Just empty your canteen,
And put your pistol to your head
And go to Fiddlers’ Green.
I’ll see you there Ted. Still owe you a steak dinner and a couple beers, bro.
garryowen!
Yeah Street, he will be missed.
I’ve got tentative plans to head down for Sunday.
We were both Marshals at Boot Murtha, and we spent some time together at GoE 1. Can’t say we were close friends, but we walked in some of the same places.
“Here’s to us, and those like us. Damned few of us left.” …
Thank you for this post. Sadly, I must confess, I had no knowledge of this great man until now. I wish I had. I just finished reading the link you gave us. America has lost a great man. An incredible loss for his family, friends, local community, this nation and those who are still POW/MIA.
Several parts of the article struck me but these were two in particular:
“I think that in the long run, Lenoir County and Kinston will miss a great patriot, warrior, an outstanding soldier an outstanding American,” he said of Sampley. “He was not only a soldier for the Army, but he was a soldier for Lenoir County when it came to tourism and small business.”
“Ted was smart, energetic, forward-looking … and he was an individual that I had the utmost respect for, for his dedicated loyalty, patriotism and Americanism,” Tyson said.
Ted served his country honorably in Veitnam, but what he did after his service was not for the good of his country or veterans. He was the point man on some of the most slanderous attacks against McCain. He blamed him directly for the USS Forrestal accident and frequently called McCain a traitor or a Manchurian Candidate.
BohicaTwentyTwo said: Ted served his country honorably in Veitnam, but what he did after his service was not for the good of his country or veterans.
That’s a bit harsh, and (I think) not correct anyway.
He did do rather a lot for veterans here and there, and I never had any trouble ignoring those times when he wandered into some strange place.
And once again ponsdorf reminds me why I think he’s so special! And a damn good man himself.
Another member of the Herd who left this earth way too early. His family is in my prayers.
“He was born July 17, 1946, and left Wilmington in 1963 at the age of 17 to join the United States Army. He went through Basic Training, Advanced Infantry Training and Airborne School. In June 1964, he was assigned to the 173rd Airborne Brigade on the island of Okinawa . On May 5, 1965, Sampley was deployed to Vietnam with the 173rd, where he served as a combat infantryman until April 1966. He participated in combat operations in the Iron Triangle, War Zone D, Ben Cat, the Ho Bo Woods and other areas of South Vietnam.”
wow where do i start? i had the honor to know Ted for a short time. and spend his last easter with him, his mom,my girlfriend April and the whole family, at our house n leland. i really hate and im sorry i cant make it to his service. but none the less my heart goes out to him, his family, and the basterds that made him the man he was. him and Gods looking down laughing and trading stories im sure. he always treated me with up most respect. also if you cant say somthing good about this great man thats done so much for so many people, you may need to crawl back up who evers ass youre kissing. this man is square with the house now let him take his long deserved break and rest in peace. he and God has to much to talk about.. but any back to what matters. my thoughts and prayers goes out to everyone who knew him, and most of all April and the family of Ted Sampley. this country, his town and county will most deff. feel the effects of this loss of a real superman. he was true HERO my prayers are with you. Brandon
My comments are to BOHICA twenty two: Please let me first tell you that I knew the author personally of the book BOHICA (Bend Over Here It Comes Again) Scott Barnes. You should read the book. Second let me share with you that my own father SFC Robert Duval Owen served 3 tours in Vietnam attached to the 5th Special Forces, and on his third tour be became MIA in Laos on May 23, 1968. Third let me share with you that Ted Sampley was once my husband and was the father of my only son; Lane Sampley. Fourthly let me correct you when you say “but what he did after his service was not for the good of his country or veterans”. You sir are a complete ill informed idiot. Ted Sampley worked endlessly on the behalf of the POW/MIA cause. Former NC (R) Congressman Billy Hendon stated at his funeral on Monday that he consider Ted Sampley the founding father of the POW/MIA cause. Two delegates from the South Vietnamese People also stated that Ted Sampley was a true friend, hero and advocate for the continuation of Human Rights on behalf of the South Vietnamese People. They telecast his funeral in Asia where the people there respect and honor Ted and were proud to call him a warrior and friend for their cause. He established The Last Firebase in front of the Lincoln Memorial and at the beginning of the Vietnam Wall in Washington DC which for nearly 20 years had someone there 24/7 to assist in helping Veterans and visitors to the wall know more about the wall, those who served and most importantly to explain about the MIAs listed on the Wall and his quest to demand a full accounting of what happened to them, and to bring them home. Ted Sampley testified before the Senate Select Committee on POWs and MIAs. Ted Sampley was instrumental during Desert Storm to force our government to give a full accounting of the POWs during that war. I am completely convinced that the efforts this man was behind for… Read more »
God bless men like Ted. Ted will be sorely missed but will live on in the memories of those who knew him and believed like he did and still believe.
I salute you and all our brave veterans.
We will never forget!
i grew upwith ted ,went to same school with him new his familey he is one of americas great heros of this time i just found out about his death my honor in him goes out to him and family billy slater william slater vietnham vet 1965- 1966
I don’t know how I missed this here and on the news. I knew Ted when I worked at the Vet Center, Greensboro, NC. I had him come talk to my groups about the POW/MIA issues. He was also great friends to Vietnamse who settled near him. I can’t say I knew him well but I can say that everything I knew about him was honorable. The world will miss him and what he stood for when those in Washington wanted him to keep his mouth shut. Miss Robin, my heart goes out to you and his family. Thank you for your post giving a true perspective of this man.
See you on the Fiddlers Green…..
Honor and Courage
Read about this patriot several times. God Bless America and men like him.
@ 9 Robin Owen Goodman, God Bless you and your family!
DITTO – Fiddler’s Green
Just thinking about you old friend….. Bernie….
Hope your looking down on us and Shining like the star you are :))))