I served with Barry in Fox 2/7 in 1967. I was with the 3rd platoon and had Barry’s gun team was with us on many occasions and later on when I became a squad leader. We lost contact after Vietnam and did not connect again until 1985. That was the year my book “Time Fighter-A Marine in Vietnam” was published. It was a book about my time in Fox 2/7 in 1967. I placed an ad in the Marine Corps magazine “Leatherneck” and one order, with letter, came from Barry Smith.  The connection was made and the rebirth of Fox 2/7 began. Through the ad and other sales I gathered a good size list of former Fox 2/7 men. As word of my book spread more and more   “F Troopers” surfaced. Barry sent me some of the names he had accumulated. Later, Barry asked me for my list and I immediately provided him with a copy.  He called and told me he hoped I didn’t mind if he pursued the names a bit further. I think Barry felt like he was taking control of something away from me when he really wasn’t. In appreciation he sent me a car size license plate (except that is was a 1 ½ inches thick block of wood!) that he had made and painted.I think it was the first model of a project he was working on. 
Over the years I provided him with some more contacts, but it was Barry who created the massive list that eventually led to the reunions.  Barry had the desire and drive to reunite Fox and preserve it’s history and it became his passion and his mission. I never attended a reunion, but it wasn’t from the lack of Barry  trying to get me to one. He tried many times. I sent 2 cases of my books to one  reunion. Barry handed them out and said the guys were using them like yearbooks and signing them.  It made me feel good. Later I sent a box of CDs, of a song I had written and had recorded about Fox 2/7 in Nam, to Barry to be given away at another reunion.  In 2011 I started writing the book “Huns Inc. - We Yearn to Burn- Fox 2/7 in Vietnam.” I contacted Barry and he gave me permission to use his unit history and he sent me over 1,000 photos he had accumulated over the years.  The book was published in 2012.  As with the first book in 1985, word spread about "Huns Inc."and more men of Fox 2/7 contacted me. I decided to keep adding to  “Huns Inc.” with the hopes of a future printing. Barry knew of this and just 7 days before he died he helped me id. men in some photos I had sent  him. He was a Fox to the end.

A salute to Barry Smith, Mr. Fox 2/7.

I hadn't seen Barry since Vietnam.  Then one day after I had moved to Florida a few years ago I found myself sitting across a table from him and the conversations began.  More than stories of a war fought years ago, but stories about the guys that we both remembered and what their lives looked like now.  How many were still around, where they were and how they were.  Barry had contact with so many and I sat amazed that he was so faithful in keeping that thread of friendship and care alive and continuing.  Above even this, I heard between the lines of what he said - how many of our Marine buddies he had helped receive their over due honor and reward for serving so faithfully now a generation ago.   He has done so much more than most and we have been the beneficiaries.  Always faithful.  Thank you Barry.