William L. “Shorty” Andrews of Center, Texas was the fourth casualty of the Vietnam War in Shelby County. He was drafted into the US Army in 1965 at the age of 20.

His tour in Vietnam began on Saturday, July 23rd, 1966 (the same day as Ted W. Adams, second casualty) with the 1st Platoon, C Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division. His military occupation specialty (MOS) was 11B20, Infantryman. On February 16th, 1967 the 1st Platoon, C Company, 2/8th Infantry, was ambushed while conducting a reconnaissance patrol in Kontum Province, South, Viet Nam. Surrounded on three sides by enemy forces and under murderous machinegun and mortar fire, the platoon formed a hasty defensive perimeter and fought for their lives. Although the platoon was relieved, 23 men died in the fighting. Just less than seven months into his tour Specialist 4 William L. Andrews was one of the 23 killed in action on that Thursday. For his actions that day, William L. Andrews was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with V device for valor.

His sister, Janie Graves of Center gave me the following account “William Larry (Shorty) Andrews of Center, Texas was born on October 25th, 1945. He graduated from Center High School in 1963 and was very smart in school even though he skipped school sometimes so he could fish or hunt squirrels. He would have loved deer hunting but didn’t live long enough to see it come to Shelby County. He loved all kinds of sports. He and his cousins and friends played football, baseball, shot-put, volley ball and pole-vaulting at the house; therefore we all got to watch them – and they were very good at what they played. He had a girlfriend and probably would have married her if he had lived. He was drafted into the Army in 1965. He went to Ft. Hood for his basic training and other training in Ft. Lewis. He left for Vietnam in July 1966 and died on February 16th, 1967 after 7 months. His Dad and Mom were William Talvis Andrews and Bernice Anthony Andrews (now deceased). He had two brothers, Billy (Pete) Andrews of Timpson and Russell Andrews of Center; two sisters, Joyce Sizemore Malone (now deceased) and Janie Graves of Center. He was friends with Larry Byford who was killed in Vietnam and knew Jerry Hughes, Ray Chatelain and Ted Adams (also killed in Vietnam).”

The Champion Newspaper reported that funeral rites for SP4 William L. Andrews, age 21 of the South Jericho Community near Center were held in the Mangum Funeral Home Chapel on Friday, February 24th at 2:00 o’clock. Burial was in the Mt. Pleasant Cemetery. Officiating was Rev. Jimmie Phillips. Survivors included his parents, two brothers, two sisters, grandparents Mr. and Mrs. Talmadge W. Andrews of Center and his maternal grandmother, Mrs. E.P. Anthony of Center. Pallbearers were Delbert Graves, Jamie Warr, Rex Bradshaw, Melvin Tomlin, Newton Tomlin, Danny Tomlin, Bill Rushing and Herbert Langford.

by Larry Hume (CMSgt Ret, USAF) VFW Post 8904

William Larry "Shorty" Andrews