Edsel Ford High School – Dearborn’s Vietnam
11 June 2011
John Curtis Wells was born in 1948 to Curtis Wells and Mary Keeney. John had 1 brother, 2 half siblings and 3 step siblings. The family lived in east Dearborn, and John attended Thayer, McDonald, and Lowrey schools before attending Fordson High School.
John enjoyed sports a great deal and was very active in swimming. He often spent time at the Civic Center and at Dearborn’s city pools and parks. The family was very close to their neighbors. After high school, John wanted to be a state police officer.
John enlisted in the Army in 1965. After completing Basic Training at Fort Knox, John went to Fort Benning, Fort Gordon, and Fort Campbell. John was a Green Beret and was a trained parachutist. John was proud to serve his country and swore to do his duty to the best of his ability. John served three tours in Vietnam with the Green Berets. One of his duties as an indigenous team advisor was evacuating Vietnamese civilians.
On March 11, 1968, John was wounded in a mortar attack. He succumbed to his wounds on March 22, 1968. He was 19 years old. He is buried at Cadillac Memorial Gardens in Westland.
For his actions in Vietnam, Spc. John Wells was awarded the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, and the Purple Heart. His Silver Star citation reads in part, “Specialist Wells distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions,” and “he demonstrated fearless and professional leadership.” By all accounts, Spc. John Wells was an extraordinarily brave soldier and proud American.
My First Cousin
Robert Curtis Hughes
7 January 2014
Johnny was the oldest of 13 first cousins on my mother’s side of the family (Wells). He loved what he did with his fellow soldiers in Vietnam, and when he was home on leave, he was still with them in Vietnam. Johnny was an athlete, loyal soldier, and patriot. At his funeral, a General presided stating he could not remember a soldier receiving 3 bronze stars in one protracted battle.
WE ARE HIS SIBLINGS
Judy, Gary and Pat
7 May 2015
We loved Johnny and still miss him to this day. His time on earth was too short, but he was bigger than life and he had the most gentle, loving soul. He was our brother, while not blood related, he was our brother. We’d like to be contacted about this lighter and perhaps see a picture of it.
Johnnys memory will live on in us and the generations in our family that follow. His pictures and medals are all that we have to keep him alive, and the lighter would be very meaningful.
Please contact the email address below, Thank you. Judy, Gary and Pat
FINAL MISSION OF SP4 JOHN C. WELLS
W Killian
7 November 2015
SP4 John C. Wells served with Detachment B-50, Project Delta, Command and Control South (CCS), MACV-SOG. The following is an excerpt from his Silver Star citation describing his final mission at Khe Sanh on March 11, 1968:
“When the area was brought under siege by numerous North Vietnamese Army units, volunteers were asked to man the outpost and SP4 Wells courageously requested duty there. After his arrival, he repeatedly volunteered for security and reconnaissance patrols, and, each time, was placed in command, he demonstrated fearless and professional leadership. Details were extremely hazardous because of continuous incoming enemy rocket and mortar rounds. While performing one of these dangerous assignments, SP4 Wells was struck and mortally wounded by fragments of an exploding rocket.” (He died ten days later.)
NOTE: SP4 Wells was on his third tour of duty when he died at the age of 19. His first tour began July 23, 1966 when he was 17 years-old. [Taken from virtualwall.org]
A LITTLE BOY WITH NO HALLOWEEN COSTUME
Carol Johnson
18 April 2021
Johnny was a friend of my brothers. John came over to the house on Halloween to go trick-or-treating with my brother. He didn’t have a costume, so I made him up best I could, as a hobo. My brother told me years later this Johnny never forgot that.