 NOVEMBER 5 • 2020 | 17

passed away in 2015 and 2010, 
respectively. After fulfilling 
their two-year tours of duty, 
which typically included a year 
in Vietnam, both returned to 
Detroit to resume building 
their lives, families and careers. 
Irving Gold was a radiologist. 
Taylor was an orthopedic hand 
surgeon.

PAUL
’S HEROIC SERVICE

Paul Gold vividly remembers 
the day in June 1967 when his 
draft letter arrived from the 5th 
Army Headquarters in Chicago. 
The then-27-year-old was in 
his apartment located behind 
the formerly named Botsford 
Hospital, now part of Beaumont 
Health, where he was complet-

ing his internship.
He didn’
t fully comprehend 
the entire contents of the letter, 
and friends encouraged him to 
call Chicago for clarification. 
“So I’
m on the phone and I 
said to the Army private, what 
does RVN mean?” The voice 
on the other end of the line, 
who seemed to chuckle at his 
naivety, replied, “Republic 
of Vietnam. You’
re going to 
Vietnam.
” Gold remembers the 
fear that seared through his 
body.
That rude awakening would 
pale in comparison to the envi-
ronment he found himself in 
just months later. He arrived in 
Vietnam in September 1967. 
The commander of his 11th 

continued on page 18

I SAID TO THE ARMY PRIVATE, 
‘WHAT DOES RVN MEAN?’ 
HE CHUCKLED AND REPLIED, 
‘REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM.’

— DR. PAUL GOLD

LEFT: Dr. Joel Leib 

and Dr. Paul Gold. 

RIGHT: Dr. Paul Gold 

and Dr. Joel Leib, 

Basic training for 

officers, Fort Sam 

Houston, Texas, 

September 1967.

COURTESY OF DR. LEIB

