First Name: Francis Arthur (artie)
Last Name: Shaw
Middle Initial:
Date of Birth: 05/25/1948
Sex: Male
Martial Status: Married
Number of Children: Yes
Home Town: Conshocken , Pa.
Education Completed: Not Sure
Other Occupations:
Branch of Service: Marines
Highest Rank: lance corpral
Serial Number: N/A
Platoon: N/A
Age at Start of Service: 18
Years of Service: 4
Combat Veteran: Yes
Time in Combat: Not Sure
Place of Combat: N/A
Awards:
Date of Suicide: 11/1983
Suicide Method: Hanging
Veteran’s Story: Artie served in various locations in Vietnam in 67-68, including…Da Nang, with an artillary battery, on 155′s. He was also exposed to “AGENT ORANGE”, which the Veterans Adimistration consistantly denied, even though he had overwhelming proof from medical doctors that had examined him. His struggle with the Veterans Administration compounded his severe P.T.S.D., along with their refusal to deny him benefits for Agent Orange. He had cysts removed from various places on his body, and still, they refused to acknowledge his claim. The years rolled by, and he had to quit work, as he became “unemployable”, because his body was being wracked by AO, and his P.T.S.D., was getting worse. He was in much pain, and was not able to function the way “normal” people do. Abuse set in and it started affecting the whole family. Finally, after all the denials from the V.A., he could no longer take it, and went to the basement, where he hung himself with his belt.There is so much more to this sad story, this is just the tip of the iceberg. There are so many more stories out there similar to this one, we all know who they are, and we all know what the real “TRUTH” is. We did not lose that war. We did not ask for it. But thats what we are left with.
Submitted By: Peggy H. Wetzell
Relationship to Veteran: Ex-Spouse
