Ben Perry was born in Worcester, Massachusetts in 1948, the eldest of six siblings. After graduating high school Ben attended the school of the Worcester Art Museum. He was drafted after his third year and went into the Army in July of 1969. Basic Training was at Fort Dix, New Jersey for eight weeks and then Advanced Infantry Training at Fort Lewis. He was then sent to Cam Ranh Bay and on to Da Nang, Vietnam, assigned to 196^th Light Infantry. The next morning he was sent to Chu Lai to be with Alpha Company. Ben became 1^st Platoon radio operator and fought in the battle of Hiep Duc. His company went on to build two fire bases, Prep and Melon, Prep to defend the 3^rd of the 21^st and Melon for the invasion into Laos or Cambodia. Next he went to LZ West where he was injured by shrapnel that missed his heart by half an inch. After rehabilitating for about a month he was sent back into the field. At LZ West, he was in BTOC and ran the battalion radio. When he left Vietnam he flew from Da Nang to Tokyo then to McChord, Washington, where he mustered out. [Type text] [Type text] [Type text]