Almost half a century after her husband's nephew was killed during the Vietnam War, Dot Foster of Fulton finally learned more about what happened to him.
About a month ago, Foster received a call from Carl Skroback of West Allis, Wis., who said he was with Thomas "Mike" Baker of Fulton on the night he died during combat in May of 1968 in Vietnam.
Now retired, Skroback used his computer to check out the Vietnam Wall website. He noticed a photo of his friend Mike Baker and been posted by Dot Foster.
Skroback decided he would try to find her and talk to her about his friend who was killed during the same firefight when he was wounded.
Cpl. Baker's tour in Vietnam began on Feb. 4, 1968. At age 20, he was killed in action on May 19, 1968, in Quang Tin, South Vietnam by enemy small arms fire.
Skroback learned Baker was buried at Callaway Memorial Gardens in Fulton, Mo. He searched on the Internet for Dot Foster's phone number in Fulton and finally found it.
"I was reality surprised to receive the call from a soldier who knew Mike. Both of Mike's parents are deceased. His mother died when he was young," Foster said.