The First Day of Spring and Vietnam

Top Photo by B.J. Meece and Bottom Photo Jim Reece

Today is the first day of Spring.  I've been doing a bit of research today and the cool temperatures and the drizzling rain brought to mind a story from the Island.  It's a story of one of our own.

Corporal Elbert Andrew Ballance, the son of Dapthney Ballance Walker and Norwood Walker of Lowland, was in Southeast Asia in the midst of the Vietnam Conflict.  Elbert was 18 years old and was serving in the U.S. Army, HHB, 2nd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 101st Airborne.

In the Thua Thein Province in South Vietnam, Elbert was killed in action by "friendly fire" at landing zone Birmingham on March 16, 1968.  Elbert was not alone. Five other comrades perished with him in that fatal accident that day.

I have spent many days sitting on my Granddaddy Joshua Potter's porch and I have heard several family members mention that sad day when Elbert was brought home and laid to rest.  Granddaddy Joshua's farm is just across the road from Dapthney Ballance Walker and from the Ballance-Leary Cemetery.

I have heard through their stories that it was a cold day much like today and the first of Spring.  The soldiers who accompanied Cpl. Ballance home to lay him to rest had just switched from their cold weather "winter" uniforms to their "spring" uniforms.  The soldiers stood in the cold temperatures in thin clothing to honor a fallen comrade. Standing in Granddaddy Joshua's field, they delivered a 21 gun salute and the haunting trumpet sound of Taps.   I have heard that no matter how cold those fellows were, they never waivered in delivering the final salute to one of their own.

If you ever visit Washington D.C. or have the chance to visit the traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall , his name is among the other 58,300 men and women who died serving their country.  You will find Cpl. Elbert Andrew Ballance's name on Panel 44E, Line 065.  Rest in peace fellow Islander.  Your service to our country will never be forgotten.

The Unpleasantness of Fishing

     Throughout the generations of Goose Creek Islanders, commercial fishermen have plied the creeks, rivers, sounds and ocean.  The saltiness in the fishermen expressed the good they saw in their honorable professions of being fishers of men.  In such harsh elements of their work, they witnessed the quietness of sunrises, the beauty of sunsets, porpoises diving in rhythm to the movement of the bow and the mysterious creations that lurked in its depths.
     But in the business of commercial fishing, not all things are pleasant.  With it come the dangers of drastic changes in weather, equipment failures and the unspeakable concern of sinking and possible death.  Sometimes the job of fisherman took on the job of search and rescue and recovery.
     In my search through the Dare County Library Archives for The Coastland Times newspaper, I came across this article in March 1973.  Captain Robbie Mercer had the unpleasant surprise of a dead body in the net of his trawler off the coast of North Carolina.

From The Coastland Times, March 22, 1973