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Charles Newton, was born and reared in Canadian, Texas. Seven months after he graduated from high school, he enlisted in the U. S. Military. Charles followed in the footsteps of his three brothers. Charles' sister, mom and dad quietly watched as Charles entered into an unfamiliar world.
Charles completed Basic Airborne School with the 82nd Division and served with the 1st Airborne in Germany before returning to the States. His visit home was brief as a civilian. He volunteered for the first of the Army's Special Forces sent to Vietnam.
Charles possessed a spirit of an immediate sense of resolve and purpose. His sense of duty, determination and conviction earned him, among his family and friends, the nickname "The Warrior."
In November, 1966, Charles joined the 5th Special Forces Group (Intelligence Branch) in Vietnam. In Vietnam, he attended Reconnaissance School in Nha Trang, where he was assigned to a long-range reconnaissance platoon.
During his second tour of Vietnam, Charles landed in the hospital at Long Bihn on January 11, 1968. Following are exerpts from a letter Charles wrote to his mom and dad.
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Charles received a thirty-day convalescent leave, and arrived in his home town. He sported a chest-full of medals, including the Air Medal, two Bronze Stars for Meritorious Service and three Purple Hearts. He recovered, and in May of 1968, married a home town gal. Two months later, Charles returned to Vietnam.
Heart-felt patriotic obligaton forced Charles to place his concern for other's safety above his own. His motive for returning to Vietnam was so that another young man would not have to go -- someone who did not know the terrain, who could not recognise the enemy, who was unaccustomed to the endless rains and oppressive heat and humidity. Charles' has been quoted as saying, "Our soldiers knew they had to fight until the war was over."
On March 22, 1969, Charles wrote a letter stating that he would be leaving Nha Trang in one to two days for I Corps (Phu Bai), Northern South Vietnam, and would be gone between thirty and ninety days. Each of his letters, left the reader with a definite sense that Charles intended a long future.
Charles was a team leader for Detachment B-52, referred to as "Project Delta." The project included three Vietnamese and three U.S. Special Force soldiers in a long-range reconnaissance unit. The project's mission was to monitor enemy activities in known enemy territory. The monitoring activities normally lasted for a three to five day period. On April 14, 1969, the Team infiltrated Quang Nam Province in South Vietnam. On the 16th, it encountered minor enemy contact. Shortly after noon on April 17th, the Team reported it was in contact with the enemy and it requested aid. Several searches were made. No evidence was collected which indicated the team members had been killed OR captured.
Canadian is a rural town in the Panhandle of Texas, having a population of around 3,000 people. Life in Canadian, Texas is quiet and stable. It is a community built on high moral standards and a solid foundation in faith. Family life, as in most small communities, is the focus of the town people. The historical old houses stand tall, reflecting distinct architectural design, with a strong emphasis on groomed landscaping to enhance the beauty. It is predominately an oil, gas and cattle town. Walking the streets in Canadian is a return to the history of Texas. Charles intended to continue making Canadian, Texas history. During the week of April 17, 1969, while searches for Charles were being conducted on the other side of the world (unknown to Charles' family and friends), in Canadian, the elementary school served macaroni and cheese; the city counsel election concluded; the Civil Defense sirene was repaired; the Canasta and Bridge Clubs enjoyed their scheduled socials; two babies were born; three deaths were reported and two couples married. There was no hint among the town folk that one of their own was fighting for his life and the freedom for all Americans.
A letter to the family from Cpt. H. B. Webb of Project Delta, stated "Each team, prior to infiltration, preplans an escape and evasion route which is automatically taken . . . Charles is highly trained in the art of survival, evasion and defense and we are very confident in his ability to survive the elements."
The family received more encouraging correspondence. Then, a letter dated May 10, 1969, advised Charles' family that his personal property was being returned. One of Charles' soldier buddies, who had borrowed twenty bucks, included among Charles' personalties, the twenty dollar repayment.
On December 16, 1969, five months after Charles was declared missing in action, the U.S. Army promoted Charles to Sergeant First Class.
The long, grief for Charles' family had begun. In February of 1971, Charles' mother attended a joint session of the Texas Legislature. Brig. Gen. Daniel "Chappie" James, deputy assistant secretary of defense, said, "I am a fighting man and my government says the name of the game is bargaining . . . but I'll fight again any time my government says to so we can bring our men home. I assure you, we will not turn our backs on our men . . . ." (Emphasis added.)
Texas Lt. Gov. Ben Barnes stated, "We accept your challenge to be the first state to organize on a community basis to make our views heard around the world . . . We will respond in helping to obtain these prisoners' release." (Emphasis added.)
H. Ross Perot, who had visions of becoming the U.S. President, zealously proclaimed, "If there is one state that will not let the prisoners down, it is the state of Texas." (Emphasis added.)
In order to enhance a sense of realism that the missing servicemen were alive and captured by the enemy, a mock Viet Cong POW cage was displayed. A photograph of Charles' mother viewing the cage, her face drawn from grief and her shoulders bent with heavy burden, reflects her broken, irreparable heart. She died without having peace of mind of the whereabouts of one of her children.
To this date, the United States has not accounted for the whereabouts of Charles, nor has it effectively encouraged Vietnam to account for the whereabouts of Charles. For over twenty-seven years, the United States Government made promises to Charles' family, his friends and the public. It has wholly failed to provide a reasonable or believable explanation of Charles' disappearance. Rather than account for Charles' whereabouts (via alive or human remains), the United States Government, under the direction of President Bill Clinton, has determined it should do free trade with Vietnam. The process and procedures of Legislative commitees formed to investigate the MIA/POW issues, closely resembled an intent to lead the public away from the truth.
As of July 15, 1998, the Department of Defense (DoD) admits there are 2,087 American servicemen unaccounted for from the Vietnam War. It further admits its unaccountability for more than 8,100 servicemen from the Korean War; 78,750 from World War II; and 3,350 from World War I. The DoD boasts "President Clinton, like Presidents Reagan and Bush before him, has declared accounting for our countrymen to be a matter of the highest national priority. To support the President, DoD has assigned more than 500 men and women to work this issue." [This information is taken from a letter from the DoD to KKHC, after inquiry regarding the status on Charles was made through Texas U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson.][Also see Statistics for Unaccounted For POWs, as published by the U.S. Government at http://lcweb2.loc.gov/pow/sumrpts.html].
We are the greatest country in the world; the most overall advanced; and the best equiped. A staff of 500 or more persons to investigate the combined total of our MIA/POWs reflects an appearance that the U.S. Government was not, and is not now serious about the recovery of our MIA/POWs.
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| The old home town looks the same; As I step down from the train; And there to meet me is my mama and papa. Down the road I look, and there runs Mary -- hair of gold and lips like cherries -- It's good to touch the green green grass of home. |
| Yes they'll all come to meet me; arms reaching smiling sweetly -- It's good to touch the green green grass of home. |
| The old house is still standing; though the paint is cracked and dry --and there's that old oak tree that I used to play on. Down the lane I walked with my sweet Mary -- hair of gold and lips like cherries -- it's good to touch the green green grass of home. |
| Then I awake and look around me; there's four grey walls that surround me; then I realised, that I'd only been dreaming -- for there's a guard and a sad old padre --on and on we'll walk at day break; then again I'll touch the green green grass of home. |
| Yes they'll all come to see me, 'neath the shade of that old oak tree; as they lay me 'neath the green green grass of home. |
Special thanks to April Dillon (Hemphill County Library) for providing information and to The Canadian RECORD (newspaper) for giving permission for this website to display or use all published information regarding Charles. |
That's Candian, Texas folks for you! |
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Special thanks also to Texas U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson for following up on the inquiry made by KKHC regarding Charles |
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