American Legion Beaufort Post 207 brings you Otis Deloach, 77, who was drafted into the U.S. Army after graduating from Robert Smalls High School with the class of 1968.
After Basic Training at Fort Gordon, Ga., and Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., he was assigned to duty in Vietnam as a Combat Engineer in the A Shau Valley near the DMZ, the site of some of the most intensive fighting during the Tet Offensive in 1968. He also served near Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), where he earned the Bronze Star Medal helping to capture enemy combatants.
Deloach further served at Fort Belvoir, Va.; Fort Leonard Wood; and at Fort Knox, Ky. He retired in 1989 as a Sergeant First Class with 21 years of service.
He then began 22 years with the Honeywell Corporation servicing Marine Corps vehicles onboard prepositioned ships stationed at Deigo Garcia in the Indian Ocean and at Saipan Island in the Western Pacific, including offloading vehicles in Kuwait during Desert Storm. In all, he spent nearly 22 years at sea supporting the Marines. He retired to Beaufort in 2013.
Compiled by John Chubb, American Legion Post 207. For Veteran Of The Week nominations, contact jechubb1@gmail.com.