RIP Donald VanEstenbridge

I tryed to post, but it timed out, and well it was a long passage I wrote so here is where I got most of the info from. He was my uncle, he died from cancer due to agent orange. This was the last message sent, which was from his wife, who died 3 years later. Here is the email:

Dear Friends,<br><br> Donald "Cowboy"
VanEstenbridge is dead. His wife, Madelyn, sent several emails.
He lost the<br> fight with cancer at 4:00am on
SUNDAY, October 8, 2000.<br><br> I served with Don twice.
First we were in a Security Guard Company in QuiNhon
during the<br> first part of our '70-71 tour and later
we were in the 23rd MP Co together.<br><br>
Images... folks sometimes ask how a guy from the east coast
could end up with a nickname<br> more suited to the
Ponderosa. I do not know how Don first earned the nickname
"Cowboy,"<br> but thirty years ago his monicker was affirmed
when I saw him attempt, A T T E M P T, to ride<br> a
water buffalo that had wandered into the barbed wire at
our Long My depot outside<br> QuiNhon. <br><br> The
poor beast had gotten snarled in the barbed wire and
was running the risk of cutting itself<br> by
thrashing. Don, and others, could not easily witness this
cruelty and bravely helped cut the<br> animal free.
Problem was the water buffalo ended up INSIDE our
compound instead of<br> outside. Now VietNamese water
buffalo appeared docile when plowing a rice paddy or
being<br> led by a seven year old child along a path, but
they clearly were big and dangerous. All of a<br>
sudden "Cowboy" VanEstenbridge leaps on the beast's back
and it's literally RODEO time for<br> "steer riders"
at Long My. I do not know how much training or
experience Don had previously,<br> but I was in awe of him
as the water buffalo snorted , sprinted, reared up,
kicked, spun around<br> and bucked him off --- it all
took about three seconds.<br><br> Eventually some
local farmer's youngster came in and led the beast
away, and when the dust<br> cleared there was Don
grinning at his exploit. The beast had survived, "Cowboy"
had really<br> earned his name and all of his fellow
MPs had enjoyed a marvelous moment of mirth and<br>
merriment in an otherwise grim day.<br><br> Another one of
Don's INTERESTING projects was the WAR WAGON. Since the
depot had<br> a small club, we had to ensure the safety
of the waitresses by driving them from the depot
after<br> dark back to Qui Nhon, about 7-8 miles. With his
trusty welding torch Cowboy converted a<br> simple Army
3/4 ton truck into an armored war wagon in which the
detail would undertake the<br> drive and void any risks.
He was really proud of that ugly truck.<br><br> To
his country Don "Cowboy" VanEstenbridge gave his
service, to his family he gave his love<br> and to his God
he has given his spirit. <br><br> RIP, Sunday
October 8, 2000, Donald "Cowboy" VanEstenbridge, 95Bravo,
23rd MP Co,<br> 23rd Inf Div (Americal), RVN
1970-71<br><br> Note: forwarded message attached.