Left to Right_
Back Row: LT. Gordon Davis, Andy Bellindir, Bob "German" Brouwer, Richard Kelly Front Row: Ed "Coffin Ed" Monreal, Walt "Fergie" Ferguson
A10 Crew:
Back to front-
Ed “Coffin Ed” Monreal
Bob “German” Brouwer
Andy Bellindir
Walt “Fergie” Ferguson
A10 Crew Rockpile:
Left to Right-
Bob “German” Brouwer
Walt “Fergie” Ferguson
Andy Bellindir
It is with sadness to inform you that Robert Brouwer (aka "German") 1st
Platoon, 70-71 passed away last night Sunday, May 31, 2009. at home with
his family at his side.
As some of you may know Bob was diagnosed with small cell lung cancer
last fall. His daughter, Heather Huffman, said that his liver was
enlarged and weak and the cancer had spread. In his final days he was in
an extreme amount of pain.
I asked Heather for permission to let the Troopers know of Bob's death.
She said "my dad would like that, please tell them".
Bob was the kinda of guy that liked to do it his way. When it was time
for foot patrol he humped that M60 like no one I'd ever seen and...with
enough ammo to win the war. He loved that gun. I remember during LamSon
719 we were at the Rockpile and under mortar attack. Three rounds landed
with a few feet of A10 (they were going after the track with the 3
antennas). One of the rounds landed on German's side of the track. I was
behind the 50 cal. and told Andy Bellinder, our driver, to move it out.
Of course he was already doin that. We moved about 75 yards up the hill
to get out of harms way and re-group. As soon as we stopped and before I
knew it, German had dismounted his M60 and was standing beside the track
letting loose with a barrage of fire. Definately a Rambo moment. I was
yelling at him to get back inside. Beside getting killed he was
attracting attention to us. Well he swung that M60 around and pointed at
me. God only knows what he was yelling. I waved him off and told him to
do whatever he F*** wanted. Over the years I always got pissed off
thinking about it. When I spoke to him last September, for the first
time since we left Nam, we made amends and had a good chuckle. Forgive
and forget.
God Bless the German
&
Long Live the CAV.
Fergie