Posted by Staff Sergeant John Belcher on March 16, 2014:

There was no finer officer in Vietnam than captain Vesa Alakulppi. He was a wonderful man to his soldiers. He was stern about his command and was business only when in the field. I was in Vietnam from December 1966 to August 1968. When Vesa came to the 199th infantry I was with him until that night he passed. We never knew he graduated from West Point, was born in Finland or that his father was in the army. When he became my company commander of C company 2/3 infantry, he instantly had a sense of knowledge. Jim, as we called him, helped mold me into a better man and soldier. He took a 19 year old and turned him into a professional soldier. During my time with him he saved my life more than once. I miss my friend very much. Not a day goes by that I do not think about my mentor. The United States of America lost a true hero that night in Vietnam but he will always be remembered as my friend. We miss and love you, sir.

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