E. Gordon Hagewood
I arrived in Vietnam in March 1971 and reported to the 2d Civil Affairs Company. After I checked in, I was ushered into the commander’s, Lieutenant Colonel Gruen’s, office. We had about a 30 minute discussion about my life as an Army brat, my time as a Boy Scout, My academic and ROTC experience at Georgia Tech, and my views on my first 18 months in the Army. He then told me he had a job for me as the commander of a civil affairs platoon about 45 miles south of Saigon near the Mekong River. What an opportunity for a young officer with less than two years of service—a combat command. Colonel Gruen’s generosity in offering me a command at that point in my career was a stepping off point for future commands and operational assignments that culminated in my retirement as an Army Colonel. I always look back with sincere gratitude to Colonel Gruen for giving me an opportunity to succeed. He knew little about me, but trusted his instincts and had faith in me. My condolences to his family who were blessed with a man who came from such challenging beginnings in Germany and became such a positive influence on so many people over the course of his long life. May he rest in peace.