MARVIN RAY BARNFIELD, BORN JANUARY 21, 1942 AT LORRAINE TEXAS. TO ALICE AND LEE BARNFIELD. HE WAS THE NINTH CHILD OF SIXTEEN CHILDREN. HE HAD FOUR SURVIVING BROTHERS AND ONE SISTER. DESSIE LYNCH, HARRY, LARRY, BRUCE , ELGIE BARNFIELD.
FALL OF 1967 HE WAS DRAFTED INTO THE UNITED STATES ARMY. WHILE WORKING ON THE ALASKA PIPELINE. AS AN X-RAY TECHNICIAN. X-RAYING WELDED SEAMS ON THE PIPELINE. AT KENAI ALASKA. HE WAS THIRTY YEARS OLD. HE DID BASIC TRAINING AT FORT BENNING GEORGIA. HE TRAINED AS A TANK DRIVER. ALSO WAS RATED EXPERT MARKSMAN. HE ARRIVED IN VIETNAM EARLY IN DECEMBER 1967. WAS WOUNDED IN ACTION. AND RECEIVED THE MILITARY ORDER OF THE PURPLE HEART. WAS WOUNDED THREE MORE TIMES DURING HIS TWO TOURS. IN COUNTRY. WAS PROMOTED SEVERAL TIMES DURING HIS TIME THERE AND DEMOTED JUST AS FAST.. MY FATHER WAS A CHARACTER.. AS ALL WHO KNEW HIM WILL ATTEST..... HE WAS HONORABLY DISCHARGED IN LATE 1969 AFTER A TREE FELL ON HIS TANK DURING A FIREFIGHT AND CRUSHED HIM AGAINST THE TURRET OF HIS TANK.
HE OFTEN SAID THAT HE WAS ONLY ALLOWED TO TALK TO HIS T-C(TANK COMMANDER) OVER HIS RADIO HEADSET. NOT ON OPEN FREQUENCIES. OR TO ANYONE ELSE ON THE RADIO..BECAUSE HE CURSED TOO MUCH TOO OFTEN...DURING FIRE MISSIONS OR WHEN THEY WERE TAKING FIRE FROM THE ENEMY. HE WOULD LAUGH AND SAY "I GUESS IT OFFENDED THEIR TENDER SENSIBILITIES". HE LOVED TO TALK OF HIS TIME IN COUNTRY AND MOST OF HIS STORIES HAD LIFE LESSONS HIDDEN IN THE SUBTEXT FOR US BOYS.. I LOVED TO HEAR HIM TALK OF HIS LIFE. HE WAS AND ALWAYS SHALL BE THE YARDSTICK BY WHICH I MEASURE MYSELF..I PRAY THAT SOMEDAY I WILL BE HALF THE MAN THAT HE WAS...RATHER THEY ADMIT IT OR NOT MY BROTHERS FEEL MUCH THE SAME WAY... WHEN MY MOTHER MARRIED HIM SHE HAD FIVE KIDS AND IT TOOK A SPECIAL KIND OF MAN TO DEAL WITH US.. HE WAS HARD WHEN HE NEEDED TO BE. UNDERSTANDING AND KIND WHEN WE NEEDED HIM TO BE AS WELL. HE OPENED HIS HEART TO US WHEN WE WERE HURTING. DIDN'T HESITATE TO PADDLE OUR BACKSIDES WHEN WE NEEDED THAT TOO. WAS STRICT AND UNBENDING WHEN WE PUSHED BACK..AS WE OFTEN DID IN THOSE EARLY YEARS..BUT THAT WAS EXACTLY WHAT WE NEEDED.. I TOLD HIM AFTER I WAS GROWN AND HAD CHILDREN OF MY OWN. THAT I TURNED OUT TO BE A GOOD MAN BECAUSE OF HIM.. I HUGGED HIS NECK AND SAID "THANK YOU FOR BEING YOU DAD"