By Bob Staranomicz, Correspondent

"Hunting is just another excuse for taking a walk in the woods." Rich Quinn of Newtown served in Vietnam and his service was not just another walk in the woods.Rich was born and raised in New York City. He attended Holy Cross High School in Flushing and after working for a time at Eastman Kodak Company in the Sales Promotion Department, he was drafted into the US Army.

"I was drafted in October of 1965 and after basic training at Fort Hood, Texas, I was sent to Vietnam and assigned to the 11th Armored Calvary Regiment as a tank crewman."

The duties of a tank crewman were to prepare, operate and fire the weapons systems, establish and maintain radio communications and perform target engagement evaluations.
Other duties include driving and maintaining the vehicles, securing battle positions and route navigation. Discipline, leadership and the ability to work as part of a team are all essential qualities of a tank crewmember.

With the escalation of the conflict in Vietnam, the Blackhorse Regiment - so called because of its distinctive unit patch - was assigned to Southeast Asia on March 11, 1966.
The 11th Cav was the first regimental size unit in the entire Army that was permitted to design and wear its own shoulder patch.

The main emphasis of the 11th Cavalry was on the use of modified M-113 Armored Personnel Carriers (APGs).

Two M-60 machine guns were mounted at the rear of the vehicle and a gun shield was added around the 50-caliber machinegun located at the commander's hatch.
This produced a deadly ACAV (Armored Cavalry Assault Vehicle) that was extremely maneuverable and armor protected and was used in place of the main battle tanks and the M-114s that were found mainly in reconnaissance platoons.

Rich earned a purple heart in March of 1967 when his tank crew came under fire by what was believed to be NVA (North Vietnamese Army) troops in an ambush with machine guns, small arms and recoilless rifles.

Recoilless rifles are commonly used as anti-tank weapons. They are a lightweight form of weapon that allows the firing of a heavier projectile that would be impractical with a standard weapon.
When a round hit the fuel tank and leaked into the tank itself, a fire ignited that burned Rich and others in the crew. As a result of that ambush, the tank commander was awarded the Silver Star and the rest of the crew was awarded the Bronze Star for Valor.

"The worst part of my service was the lack of clean clothes, hot showers and electricity while in Vietnam." Rich did enjoy the discipline and teamwork of the military but was turned off by the everyday pettiness that he had experienced.

When Rich returned home from Vietnam, he had less than 90 days left to serve, so he was given an early release. "I stayed drunk for a couple of years at a local bar, hanging out with my friends."

In October of 1969, Rich joined the police force.
"When I joined the NYPD, I was the third generation of my family to do so. When I was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in 1984, I proudly wore my father's Sergeant's shield #740 and I retired with that rank."

Rich faced a real dilemma while serving in the NYPD. "I had to police several anti-Vietnam War demonstrations. During one demonstration, I became involved in an argument with a protestor who went a bit too far, pushing the wrong buttons. I threatened his life but fortunately one of my fellow officers pulled me away and calmed me down."
After that incident, whenever Rich had a bad day in the police department, he would say, "It could be worse. I could be back in Vietnam."

Rich looks forward to retirement and feels that his life has been satisfying. He spends his spare time as President of the Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 210. He is also a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 175, the American Legion, The Military Order of the Purple Heart and the 11th Armored Regiment Veterans of Vietnam and Cambodia.

Rich currently lives in Newtown with his wife, Elizabeth, of 36 years. He also has four daughters, Denise, Valerie, Patricia and Kimberly.

His brother, William, also served as a C-130 pilot.