Kennett native receives Silver Star award

Former Kennett resident Larry Poole poses for a photo while serving in the Vietnam War. (Photo provided)

Larry A. Poole, formerly of Kennett, along with Arthur B. Cook, Jr., of Caruthersville, Mo.; Lt. Col. Paul E. Jackson, of Panama City, Fla.; and Lt. Col. James L. Schimmiing of Lady Lake, Fla., were inducted into the ASU Hall of Heroes during the half-time of the ASU-Louisians-Lafeyette game at ASU stadium.

The four soldiers were recognized for their combat services while serving in the Vietnam War.

Poole, who was born on Jan. 20, 1942, to M.L. and Irma Bess Poole, of Route 2, Kennett, grew up on a farm, the third youngest of 12 children.

Poole, the uncle of Kennett resident Matthew Poole, attended Clarkton High School where he lettered in baseball and basketball. He won the County Sportsmanship Award in basketball and was elected as Student Body President for his senior year, graduating in 1960.

Following high school, Poole attended Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, majoring in Business Administration/Accounting.

He received the Bachelor of Science degree in 1966.

While attending college, Poole played second base and shortstop on the ASU baseball team from 1961-1963, and was a member of the Sigma Pi fraternity.

In the spring of 1966, Poole was drafted into the U.S. Army.

"I attended Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, Ga., and received my commission as Second Lieutenant Infantry in March 1967," Poole said. "I served as Central Accounting Officer at Fort Campbell, Ky., before being deployed to South Vietnam in October 1967. There, I joined the 2nd Battalion, 39th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division as a Platoon Leader in C Company.

"We were operating in the jungles northeast of Saigon before being pulled in to help defend that city during the 1968 TET Offensive. We then moved our Base Camp south, into the Mekong Delta where I was promoted to First Lieutenant. There, we conducted search and destroy missions by day, and ambush patrols at night. Even though my unit had many engagements with the enemy, none of my men were ever [killed in action.]"

On Aug. 27, 1968, Poole, while serving as a Platoon Leader with Company C, 2nd Battalion, 39th Infantry, displayed valorous actions involving close combat in the Republic of Vietnam.

Following an malfunction in radio communications while his company was heavily engaged with a large enemy force, Poole crawled more than 50-meters across a fire swept rice paddy to establish contact with his commanding officer.

Poole also personally assaulted an enemy bunker, firing through the doorway of the emplacement during later action.

According to the soldier, a Viet Cong soldier rushed out of the bunker with a weapon pointed at his chest. However, before the enemy could fire the weapon, Poole wrestled it away and effectively employed it against the enemy.

Poole said he received the Silver Star, Purple Heart, Combat Infantry Badge, Vietnam Service Award, and the Vietnamese Unit Medal.

"When I came back from South Vietnam, my last assignment was at Fort Polk, La., serving as Executive Officer of an Advanced Infantry Training Company," Poole said. "I received an honorable discharge in 1969."

After leaving the service, Poole pursued a career in accounting and real estate in Natchez, Miss., and New Orleans and Lafayette, La.

In 1981, Poole married Renée Badeaux, of New Iberia, La., a 1978 graduate of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (ULL). The couple now reside in New Iberia and have two daughters, Celina, 22, who graduated from ULL in 2009; and Devon, 19, a sophomore at ULL

Also in 1981, Poole took a job with Petrolog International, Inc., a service company in the Oil and Gas Industry, where he has been employed since.

Poole said he though it was "fantastic" that he and the other four soldiers were recognized on Saturday.

"At the time when I came back, it wasn't a good time for us," Poole said. "The war wasn't at favor.

"It is a big honor [being inducted into the Hall of Heroes] and I am thrilled they are actually doing stuff like this now."

Poole said the honor is good for his family because it brings "a lot of closure on a bad time."

The four soldiers' plaques will be hung in the ROTC Hall of Heroes, located at the parking lot entrance of the National Guard Armory in Jonesboro.