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SGT. Larry J. Gouine
SGT Larry J. Gouine
In November 1961, Larry signed up to serve in the United States Army. He spent 26 years in the military at different posts including nine years in Germany.
After visiting his sister, Joanie, in Shawano, he met Dorothy Zander. They were married on Feb. 24, 1968. Twenty-two days later, he was sent to Vietnam where he served a tour of duty with the 3rd Battalion 82nd Air Mobile Forward Artillery.
First hearing about the Vietnam War, the United States had heard about tunnels the Viet Cong used to evade the Americans, but we had no clue how extensive they were. In the first Indochina War Dec. 19, 1946-Aug. 1, 1954 there were 48 kilometers (29.32 miles) of tunnels. By 1965, there were 200 kilometers (124 miles) of tunnels in Vietnam. There were different trap doors leading to lower levels. The tunnels held living areas, storage depots, ordinance factories, hospitals and headquarters. The tunnels curved back and forth, giving the Viet Cong places to hide if the tunnel was invaded. The tunnels ranged no wider than 3′ by 5′ and no smaller than 2′ x 2′. Because of the small tunnels, the “Tunnel Rat” was born. They were looking for men to volunteer to go into the tunnels. You needed to be of small stature and Larry was asked to be that tunnel rat.
The tunnel rat soon found the less equipment you had on the better. Their helmet and jacket got left behind as they crawled into the tunnel. Their equipment consisted of flashlight, knife and a pistol. They learned how to change the light bulb of the flashlight in the pitch dark by touch alone and do it quickly and to do it in different positions squatting, kneeling and lying prone. Choosing your own pistol was a tunnel rat’s privilege. Climbing into the small tunnels, you went head first and if you decided to go no farther, you had to back out.
The trap doors were well camouflaged, some were booby trapped. The tunnels not only held the enemy: Some tunnels were booby trapped with boxes of scorpions with a trip wire attached. You tripped the wire, the box opened, out would come the scorpions. There were rats, centipedes, bees, hornets, spiders, fire ants, bats and the “bamboo viper”, a snake. They had a very potent bite. The Vietnamese would tie these snakes in bamboo and hang them in the tunnels. If bumped by the tunnel rat, they would fall onto you and bite you.
In the years to followed, esprit among tunnel rats increased to the point they had a special cloth badge made and an unofficial sleeve insignia. The badge showed a gray rodent holding a pistol and a flashlight with a motto in dog latin: Non Gratum Anus Rodent um (Not worth a Rats Ass).
Like many tunnel rats, he could not bring himself to talk about his experiences. Years later, Larry finished his service in the Army Reserves. He retired in 2001.
Larry and Dorothy settled in Shawano along with his son, Tim and his wife Tina. Larry worked for various companies including Montour’s Roofing, The Holtz Company and Woodbine Industries.
Larry was a great Packer fan. He enjoyed watching old war movies and westerns.
He was a life member of the Shawano AMVETS Post #10, the Bonduel VFW Post #10622, The Vietnam Veterans Chapter 206 and the Shawano DAV Chapter 22.
In 2004, Larry was honored to be part of the Honor Guard for the Vietnam Veterans Moving Wall which came to Shawano. He was always willing to participate in veterans’ funerals and other veterans’ events.
Larry passed away peacefully on Sept. 5, 2010. Perhaps we will never be able to understand what he went through, but we salute him and others who were in our military. You will not be forgotten.
SGT Larry J. Gouine’s awards are:
Army Combat Infantryman Badge
Good Conduct Medal with Loop
National Defense Medal
Vietnam Service Medal
Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with 60 device
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm
Army. commendation Medal