Veterans typically have a special bond. They have lived, laughed, cried and suffered together.

Alvin Howard and Sammy Labastida live nearly a country apart, but stay in contact. Both were a part of the 2nd/2nd First Infantry Division during the Vietnam War and like most comrades spent 99 percent of their time together.

The bond continues today.

Labastida and his wife, Carol, visited with Alvin and Carolyn Howard this week — and took the opportunity to reminisce and share some of their stories.

Alvin retired from the Cleveland Fire Department in 2007. Sammy is “semi-retired.”

Alvin laughed as Sammy announced that even though he claims to be semi-retired, he continues to visit the family farming business in Santa Maria, Calif. on a daily basis and teaches music to more than 50 students weekly.

The two were in Vietnam in 1968-69.

They more or less fought back to back for just about the duration of their time in the service.

Both reflected on one battle which is seemingly undocumented by the command and government.

“It was the Battle of Black Virgin Mountain,” said Alvin.

“That was one of our most prominent battles, and when we arrived it was as if the enemy focused on taking out the command staff,” explained Alvin.

Sammy interjected, saying if he remembered correctly, their commander was the first to lose his life in that battle, followed by 13 others and 66 wounded.

The two didn’t really understand the significance of the firefight, but it was a challenge to survive as they approached the base of the mountain and began to offer support for foot soldiers who went into the province prior to Alvin and Sammy’s arrival in the armored personnel carrier in which they were assigned.

“Sammy took shrapnel, but doesn’t know when or how,” said Alvin.

Sammy was the man in charge of the .50-caliber machine gun perched atop the APC driven by Alvin.

The longer the men fought together, the stronger the bond between them grew.

“We had to stay together 99 percent of the time. It was like a pair of feet. I was the left foot, Alvin was the right foot and together we had to have each other to walk,” said Sammy, explaining the close cooperation needed to be effective in battle and to survive.

Though the men had a number of battles in the provinces of Lai Khe and Tay Ninh and others, the Battle of Black Virgin Mountain is one that stands out and continues to raise memories. Alvin, Sammy and several other survivors are working to find information and document the battle.

“They knew what they were doing,” said Howard, reflecting that during the American Revolution in one key battle the enemy concentrated on eliminating command in order to create a chaotic situation through misdirection, leading to bad decisions by those lower on the totem pole when it came to strategy and survival.

“Sammy burned three barrels on the .50-caliber that day,” said Alvin.

“At one point, he poured oil on it and it was so hot it burst into flames.”

According to the two, the battle lasted eight hours and occurred July 12-13, 1969.

Members of the group continue to get together yearly, but eight who were in that battle generally separate themselves from the others to talk about what went on in Vietnam and at the base of the mountain.

“It does so much for us to be able to get together and remember our time and the war we fought,” said Alvin.

“We had each other’s back. For a short time, Sammy was detached to another division. It was like a part of me was missing and then, he was transferred back.”

“I knew I could trust him and he could trust me. We always had each other’s back.”

Alvin was discharged just a few days before Sammy, but the two have remained in contact.

Sammy returned to school to further his education while Alvin joined the Cleveland Fire Department.

“There were no parades or anything like that when we came home,” said Sammy.

“I stayed quiet about my military service because this was a war which was not welcomed. It was like having a monkey on my back, but still I was proud to have served,” he said.