I was fortunate to have known this man who was a Marine father to me. None of the eight step fathers I had growing up made a pimple on SgtMaj Otis Barker's butt. This was a man who would give you one ass chewing and later in your mind thanked him for it. I visited the "Marine's Marine" shortly after "Gritz" located him in WV. The reunion with this 6' tall man who only stood 5'3" was unbelievable. I made periodic visits with him until he reported to the Commandant in the sky.
    Knowing this man, when he reported to the pearly gates he was telling everyone to get a haircut and fall out for PT.
    On most of my visits he always said "A" Co. was his best organization in his entire Marine Corps career. He always ask me to share that with other "A" Co. Marines. I am sharing it with you now. SgtMaj Barker was damn proud of you Marines. He often ask about many of you as you come up in conversations.
    Before I share a few Barker stories with you I want to say this world is a better place and the Corps a better organization due to this man.
    Just a few years ago, some guy referred to Barker's wife as an F______ whore. Wrong thing to do. That man faced a pissed off Marine who stuck a 9 mm under his chin and got to hear the hammer go home. After the guy ran out of the Barker's bar he had to take his crappy pants off.
    Another incident at the Barker's bar. Three or more young men decided to moon a woman in the bar parking lot. When the couple who got mooned came in the bar and shared the story, this caused Barker to get pissed off. Barker went out to confront the three and one of them pulled out a pistol. "Wrong thing to do!!!!!"
    Barker goes back in the bar and comes out with an AR15. Barker informs the three that if you pull a gun on someone you better use it. Then he fires a short burst in the three mens' direction. The three run jump into their car and take off down the road while short bursts of rounds follow the car. Some neighbors called the sheriff reporting gunfire in the area. As the Sheriff gets close to where the incident took place, three guys in a car flag down the Sheriff and report they had been shot at by a crazy man. Once the Sheriff completed his questioning of the ones who had been mooned to the neighbors, he asked Barker had there been any trouble. The reply from Barker, none that I can't handle.
    Witnesses say the sheriff went back out to the three guys and told them to get in their car and get the hell out of there and to never come back for there is no doubt in his mind that crazy ass Marine will kill you.
    Last but not least. DaNang 1968 or 1969. "A" Co. Is called out for reactionary and is in formation along side the company office. The, then commanding officer of the company over stepped his bounds in First Sgt Barker's eyes. Coming from the company office was a one way conversation!!!! It went something like this.......I was in this M---- F------- Marine Corps when you were still shiting in your diapers. Let's get one thing straight, you command this company and I run it. Is this understood? You could have heard a pin drop in the company formation.
    I happen to be close to the Company office one day when a team leader Sgt (Huey) Allen approached the Company office. Huey and his team just returned from a rough patrol, (I believe they were shot out), Ken Benckwitz or Huey could confirm that. Anyway upon receiving their cold drink, the team was told to get cleaned up and report back for guard duty. (They were to pull guard duty over at 11th Marines). The story goes Ken Benckwitz convienced Huey that pulling guard duty for 11th Marines was a bunch of BS, escepicially since they just returned from patrol. Well being the outstanding team leader Huey is he took the troops concern to the "Man" Top Barker!!! I did not hear all of the discussion (Huey's part), but I did hear SGT ALLEN THERE IS MORE TO THIS MOTHER F------- MARINE CORPS THAN KILLING GOOKS!!!!!!!. I saw Huey solomly leave the company office, walk down to the platoon area and inform his team they had guard duty AND DON'T GIVE HIM ANY SHIT. Ha Ha
    Top always talked about the the company mascot (dog) named RECON. Remember him? Poor RECON was always getting busted by Top for screwing up.
    I spent 26 years in the Corps and never found another one like him except in history books (Chesty Puller)..
    Thanks to all of you for sharing. Ron that was a great idea you came up with. Gritz, thank you for locating him so we could have a little more time with him.
    Seargent Major Barker loved you Marines and he is still looking over us!!!!

     My first meeting with Top came when I checked into “A” Company, first thing he said to this PFC was I am in charge of this Company and I don’t like F—k-ups. I said yes sir top, he then jump square in my chest and asked my do you see any bars on my uniform, don’t call me sir!!!! After my first patrol with Huey as my TL was in Elephant Valley, he had me walk point and carry the M-14. Since MI said there were no enemy sighting he wanted to break me in the right way. Well, the patrol last 7 hours, emergency extraction and when we landed at Camp Reasoner as I approached the top of the hill Top was standing there with a cold beer and asked me, so Benckwitz how you like your first patrol and they will get better. I told Top as soon as I get sh-t out of my boots I will let him know. The next day my name was on the Charlie Hunting Club board in front of the Company Office. I always wondered if he was our Chesty??? When I think about it he was.

Semper Fi Top.

 Gene Lashley Alpha Co. 67             SgtMaj. Barker's Funeral

   I had looked for Top Barker for numbers of years and I came to the reality that I might never find him. I decided that I might even have to go all the way to Okinawa to find him. The day I left for the Nashville Reunion I received a 1st Marine Division book and found Top Barker's address. I had almost given up the hunt. (God says that it is not on our time schedule but His) Top had been like a Dad to me and I had truly respected him from day one. The day I found him, he hugged me up and asked if I were in contact with any more of his boys. Maxam & I contacted several A Co. members while we visited him and Top was able to talk with the ones we were able to get on the phone. Top said that he loved each one of his boys. Top was a giant to us, (his boys), all the way.
   I remember on one patrol in the Phu Loc area in Oct 68, we got into a bad fire fight and J.J. got an eye wound. I tried to get a battle extraction but was denied because all helos were on large sweep operations. I requested to talk with Tango Oscar Papa Bravo Alpha Romero Kilo Echo Romero. Top got on radio and said he would be there personally to get his boys out and he did. Top called me shortly after I got home from my first visit because he heard that a hurricane was going to hit near my hometown. Top told me that he had an apartment I could stay in. He said he didn't lose me in the War and certainly wasn't going to lose me to a storm!
   I was so blessed to be able to share other patrol stories with him in the past couple of years.

Semper Fi, GRITZ

Fred Vogel   Alpha June 68 - Feb. 69

   I was CO of Alpha Company from June '68 to February '69 - and, yeah, I may be the guy in Gary Maxam's story about being upbraided for 'overstepping the bounds' with the First Sergeant. I remember the event a bit differently, but forty years have passed so sometimes I don't really know what I remember. I recall that the Top said something more like "I was in the Marine Corps before you were born." (I think he was right - I did the math.) I don't remember what the issue was but I don't think it had anything to do Alpha Co. and the reaction force. And there was no company formation at the time. Remember Top Barker was a true professional - he would never knowingly undercut his officers or NCOs. Then again, we may be talking about an entirely different incident. I know I'm guilty of overstepping bounds all the time and I'm sure the Top ran into any number of other young officers who might have earned his displeasure (CO following me was a 1st Lt). If I've got this all wrong or completely confused with something else, my apologies to First Sgt. Barker, Gary M. and all the rest.
   Speaking of the reaction force, I'm attaching a copy of a speech I gave as 'oldest Marine' at the U.S. Mission to the UN in Vienna in 2000. (I wasn't the oldest, just the only one who would admit to it.) If you can read through a bit of drivel leading up to it, the speech describes the attack against 1st MarDiv HQs and the Danang airbase in '68 that brought out Alpha Co. as reaction force. Every Marine involved behaved magnificently. In fact - and here's the first Top Barker story - the Top was decorated for his courage in maintaining communication and liaison between the reaction force and Bn. HQs. He travelled the fire-swept roads between the Bn. and our location (the Cam Le Bridge, near the south end of the Danang airbase) any number of times to brief Bn and to bring back supplies and ammo.
   Another story about the Top has nothing to do with Vietnam or 1st Recon. The Top was reminiscing about Korea with a few of us, and described the hellish conditions he and the others endured during the Chosen Reservoir campaign. He said that his company had been fighting for days and nights without rest in the bitter cold. At one point, they were pulled back to what they thought was a relatively safe position to get some rest. The company got into sleeping bags for much needed sleep. During the night, however, the Chinese pulled off a surprise attack and swarmed through the position with bayonets. Almost everyone in the company was killed, but Top Barker saved himself by rolling down the hill still wrapped in his sleeping bag. When he managed to get himself out, he and a number of others pulled their own surprise counterattack and drove the Chinese off the hill. If you ever wondered why the First Sgt. was such a disciplinarian, now you know.
    Back to VN stories. We had a Marine, name and grade long forgotten, recently assigned to the company who came back from one of his first missions badly shaken. The patrol had gotten into a really tight situation and only made it out by the skin of their K-bars. This particular Marine had conducted himself courageously and was instrumental in saving the patrol. But he was an infantry Marine and sneaking around in the wilderness all alone with the entire North Vietnamese Army was a totally alien environment for him. And he told Top Barker that up front and without apology. The Top came to me with a very worried look on his face and said 'this will not be good for morale'. We transferred the Marine the same day. I understand that he served well and honorably in his new assignment and, as you would expect, brought credit upon himself and our Corps. You got to listen to your First Sgt. #1
   On another occasion, Top Barker came to me, saying there's a problem with Pfc. Schmeckatella and he's supposed to go out on patrol tomorrow. The Top brought the kid to me and I saw immediately what he was talking about. The Pfc. was in tears. He was so afraid to go on patrol he was shaking uncontrollably. What could I do? I turned to the First Sgt and said, 'Top, put my name down to replace him'. I went off with the patrol the next morning and, sure enough, we got into a running gun battle for five days. The Top had the Pfc shipped out to the infantry before we got back. I often wonder how Pfc. Schmeckatella liked the infantry - they stand up in front of God and everybody (including the NVA) and just go begging for trouble. At least, Recon could snoop and poop around the triple canopy and hide behind a tree. You got to listen to your First Sgt. #2
   The final story I'm just throwing in for the humor in it. We had this young Marine from the Midwest who came to the First Sgt. with a request to marry a local VN girl. We knew the girl was a bit shady, working the Dogpatch area for the benefit of Marines everywhere. Top Barker told me we ought to just send the kid on R&R and the professional girls in Hong Kong would help him get over his local love interest. So off he went to HK and the bright lights of the big city. And as soon as he came back, though, he said he wanted to extend his tour for six months. He wanted to go back to Hong Kong and marry another shady lady he met there. This kid had a big heart. So we thought about what we could do to protect this young Marine from himself. I said to him in the nicest way I could 'what will your family think, if you bring back a prostitute as a wife?!' To which he replied, "That's OK, sir. My Mom was a whore and she'll understand!" As I staggered out of the company office, shaking my head, I shouted over my shoulder, 'First Sergeant, counsel this man!" I never found out what the Top said to him, but he didn't marry either girl. The First Sgt. does indeed run the company and I was happy to let him do so. You got to listen to your First Sgt. #3
   On a sad note I have to report that our young marrying Marine did extend his tour but went to a CAP unit somewhere in the 1st MarDiv TAOR. The position was later overrun and he was killed in action. But he died with his boots on and facing his enemy, that's got to count for something.
   Well, that's it. That's the end of my 'patrol report.' Like I said, do with it as you see fit. I've been holding on to these stories for over forty years and if I pass them on to just one other person, I've accomplished my mission.

Semper Fi,

Fred Vogel

Col. Vogel's 2000 Birthday Ball speech