John Victor “Vic” Power
May 20, 1996
John Victor “Vic” Power, was my best friend, we came to the 2nd Bde LRRPs together from the 9th Div. We pulled a couple of LRRP missions together as teammates, but we were usually on different teams. We bunked next to each other and we became best friends. I rotated home in Dec 1967. Vic had several more months to go before returning stateside. We lost contact with each other over the next few years.
Vic contacted me while I was in college in Oregon in 1970 or 71 after completing his 2ed tour in Vietnam. Vic was a talented artist. In his 2ed Tour he was with the 101st Airborne Div. As a artist he had worked on the 101st Airborne yearbook. Vic drafted the cover page of their yearbook. The cover he designed had tanks, choppers and jets on it. Hidden in the background of the cover, Vic had inserted “FTA”. When it was discovered after printing, the Army Brass did not take it lightly. It cost Vic his stripes
Vic spent the better part of a week with me after returning from his 2nd tour. He needed to go visit his family in Texas before going on to his next duty station. Vic wanted to buy a motorcycle as he had no credit he could not get a loan. I financed the bike for him and he sent me a check to pay it off.
After the service Vic moved to Florida, where he found work as a sign painter and artist. We had lost track of each other again. I knew a PI that was a former LRRP. He was able to locate Vic’s death in Dade County FL. I learned that he had passed away on 5/20/1996 while in the Dade County Jail. Vic had choked to death on his own vomit. Vic like many of us struggled with drugs and alcohol upon his return to civilian life. After learning of his death I was able to travel to the Texas gulf coast & meet his parents & sister.
RIP MY BROTHER.
Submitted by Bob Crawford 4/15/2016
