My full name is William A. Matz.  In my life, depending on the time and place, I have been called "Billy," "Bill," "Will," "William," "'Cruit," "Matz," "Spithead," "Soldier," "YOU &%@$ IDIOT!" "Hey You!" "Corpsman," "Doc," "MEDIC!" "Wild Bill," "Dad," "Railroad Bill," "That &%$@ Liberal," "Grandpa," and "Mad Doc."  I have answered to most of them.

        I was born in a log cabin... well actually it was a hospital, in Chicago Illinois. in 1946.  I am divorced with one Son and a Granddaughter.  I worked thirty years with Chicago and NorthWestern Railroad.  I lived in Chicago for most of my life, before moving to the Ozarks for a short while.  I am a member of  "THE 4TH INFANTRY "IVY" DIVISION ASSOCIATION," "THE 22ND INFANTRY REGIMENT SOCIETY," and "THE VIETNAM TRIPLE DEUCE."  I currently reside in Nashville Tennesssee.  I have no exes in Texas.

       I was drafted into the U.S.Army on December 8, 1965.  I was assigned to the 2/22 Infantry of the 3rd Brigade 4th Infantry Division even before I started my basic training at Fort Lewis Washington, which was the home base of the 4th Division at that time.  I received my Medical Corpsman training at Fort Sam Houston Texas. (I don't think I have any exes in Texas?)  I also had some OJT at Fort Irwin California.  We "shipped out" to Vietnam in October 1966, on the troop ship "Nelson M. Walker."  Our brigade was staioned, briefly, at a place called "Bearcat," near Longbinh.  We then moved out and built a basecamp at Dau Tieng, near Tay Ninh.  Our A.O. was usually in the area of Tay Ninh (Black Virgin Mountain) Chu Chi, and the Parrot's Beak (War Zone C).  I was transferred to the 9th Division, in may 1967, under the Army's "Infusion" program.  I finished my tour as  an Ambulance driver in the 9th Medical Battalion. I completed my tour, and received my Discharge, in September 1967.