Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, March 5, 1991 TAG: 9103051234
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A/1 EDITION: EVENING
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: ANCHORAGE, ALASKA LENGTH: Short
An all-points bulletin had been issued at the Army's request to find the traveling couple from Soldotna.
The Army didn't say why, but Gallen, a Vietnam veteran, suspected it was bad news about a loved one in the Persian Gulf. He was right.
Sgt. David Douthit, 24, was with the 134th Armored Detachment and a crew chief of an M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle. Hours before the cease-fire took effect last week, he was killed in battle.
When the Douthits got the message, they were 300 miles from home and on their way to Tacoma, Wash., to see their son's pregnant wife, Jessica, 19.
When Gallen spotted the motor home Friday, he was reluctant to do his duty.
"I didn't want to stop," he said. "I went back and it was them." The message he was asked to deliver was vague.
"It said something about a major in the Army had requested a locate on these people. I was pretty sure that the reason was something involved in the gulf. I told them there was an urgent message to call a number in Soldotna," Gallen said. "They were shocked."
The trooper took the Douthits to his office in Northway. Eventually he drove them seven hours to Anchorage to catch a plane to Washington state.
"We just talked about the family" he said. "That seemed to help, especially the mother."
by CNB