Van of Valor

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August 25, 2026 — Arlington National Cemetery

Today, the echoes of rotor blades fall silent over the hallowed grounds of Arlington. A hero comes home.

SSgt. Barry McAlpine — two-time Silver Star recipient, three-time Purple Heart holder, Hunter-Killer of the legendary 1/9 Cavalry — is laid to rest among America’s finest. A Michigan farm boy who could have played baseball in Germany while his brothers died in Vietnam. Instead, he volunteered. Three times. Until they let him go.

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The Hunter-Killer

B Troop, 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment — the “Bullwhip Squadron” of the 1st Air Cavalry Division. They pioneered “Hunter-Killer” operations: White Scouts locating the enemy, Red Gunships fixing them in place, and Blue infantrymen like McAlpine inserting to finish the fight. Call-sign Blue 31. Standing on the skids of a Huey, jungle passing beneath at 100 mph, saying the Lord’s Prayer before dropping into hell.

February 27, 1967 — An Loa Valley. A rocky defile. Ambush erupted. His squad leader was killed. Three men went down wounded. McAlpine left his covered position, crawled through intense automatic weapons fire, and pulled each casualty to safety. Then he turned around and crawled back into the kill zone. Systematically cleared the remaining enemy. Alone.

First Silver Star.

Three months later — Duc Pho. A reinforced Viet Cong company pinned his platoon down. A resupply helicopter took a hit, crashed upside down outside the perimeter, its crew trapped in burning wreckage. Without orders, McAlpine ran through machine-gun fire toward the crash. Cut the pilot and co-pilot free. Carried the most severely wounded man back to friendly lines.

Second Silver Star.

Wounded three times. Three Purple Hearts. Each wound could have sent him home. Each time, he chose to stay.

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The Man After the War

He came home. Used the G.I. Bill. Graduated from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 1971. Founded the McAlpine Chiropractic Group in Holland, Michigan — served his community for nearly fifty years. Chairman of the Ottawa County Red Cross. Active member of the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association. Dedicated Rotarian. A husband of 47 years. A father to six. A grandfather to eleven.

He carried the weight with grace. Healed others while carrying his own scars.

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The Final Flight

Barry Lyn McAlpine passed away peacefully on May 8, 2026, at age 80, surrounded by his loving family.

Today — August 25, 2026 — he receives his final honors at Arlington National Cemetery. A resting place among heroes. A warrior’s welcome home.

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🎵 Exclusive Van of Valor Music

Our track “Hunter-Killer Sky” was written to carry his story — the rotor blades thunder, the dust devils rise, the bullets snap and rockets flare. It’s about the men who dropped where eagles fly, who crawled back into the flame when the wounded called their name.

“Whites spot ’em low. Reds make ’em bleed. Blues go in where the angels fear to tread. McAlpine’s choice echoes still — through An Loa Valley, through Duc Pho hill. Just another Tuesday in the sky. Hunter-killer… never say goodbye.”

Today, we say goodbye to the man. But the story — the courage, the sacrifice, the brotherhood — that never dies.

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Rest easy, SSgt. McAlpine. Blue 31, standing down.

Welcome home.

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If you or a veteran you know is struggling, dial 988 then press 1. Or text 838255.

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Hunter-Killer Sky

Rotor blades thunder, dust devils rise

Huey skims low through the morning skies

M16 pressed tight to my chest

Green hell below, no time to rest

Drafted to Germany, baseball and beer

But my brothers were dying, I couldn’t stay here

Volunteered three times till they let me go

Where the jungle’s thick and the stakes are low

In the hunter-killer sky

We drop where the eagles fly

Bullets snap, rockets flare

Blood and brotherhood in the air

When the wounded call my name

I’ll crawl back into the flame

For the men who fight beside

In the hunter-killer sky

An Loa Valley, sixty-seven

Rocky defile, a bastard heaven

Ambush erupted, two men trapped

Three went down, their courage mapped

I left my cover, crawled through hell

Bullets sparking where I fell

Pulled ’em back, one by one

Squad leader killed, but not undone

Took command, went in alone

Cleared those rocks, brought terror home

In the hunter-killer sky

We drop where the eagles fly

Bullets snap, rockets flare

Blood and brotherhood in the air

When the wounded call my name

I’ll crawl back into the flame

For the men who fight beside

In the hunter-killer sky

Duc Pho, May twenty-seven

Reinforced VC, a walk to heaven

Perimeter tight, ammo low

Water’s gone, nowhere to go

Huey comes in with our resupply

Takes a hit, starts falling from the sky

Downed crew trapped in burning wreck

Nobody’s fault if I don’t go back

But I ran anyway, through the fire

Enough rage to lift me higher

Pulled the pilot from the flame

Carried him out, called his name

Two Silver Stars for crawling through hell

Three Purple Hearts where the shrapnel fell

Could’ve gone home, could’ve stayed back

But the hunter-killer doesn’t crack

In the hunter-killer sky

We drop where the eagles fly

Bullets snap, rockets flare

Blood and brotherhood in the air

When the wounded call my name

I’ll crawl back into the flame

For the men who fight beside

In the hunter-killer sky

Whites spot ’em low

Reds make ’em bleed

Blues go in where the angels fear to tread

McAlpine’s choice echoes still

Through An Loa Valley, through Duc Pho hill

Just another Tuesday in the sky

Hunter-killer… never say goodbye