Around Town: Pepper Fryman is not forgotten

You can’t go to a Force Reconnaissance reunion without hearing about La Cañadan Roy “Pepper” Fryman.

“Amazing man.”

“Brave.”

“Hardly talked.”

“A leader.”

Pepper Fryman left the Marine Corps in the early 1960s, moved to La Cañada with his family and began work as a movie stuntman.

It was a good fit. Fryman was an innovative sky diver, a scuba diver and an all-around athlete. His wife was from Norway and they enjoyed living close to the Angeles National Forest.
By 1966, he rejoined the Marine Corps, and was sent to Vietnam with Force Recon, where he was awarded the Navy Cross. He returned home, safe and sound. Three years later, he returned to Vietnam with a regular combat unit. He was killed on Aug. 24, 1969.

Fryman’s name is on the gazebo in the La Cañada Memorial Park. There’s another memorial to him in Kentucky, where he grew up, and the Marines named a street after him at Camp Pendleton, Fryman Court.
A disclaimer: My husband, Len Torres, was a member of 1st Force Recon in those years, but his deployments never coincided with Pepper Fryman’s. 1st Force Recon was deactivated in 2006.

Last week, to commemorate the 13th anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001, Len took me to Camp Pendleton to meet with members of the First Reconnaissance Battalion. There was a base-wide moment of silence shortly before 9 a.m., followed by “Taps” and then we saw various demonstrations and attended presentations.
Pepper Fryman’s name was on everyone’s lips. We met women and men who had known Fryman, knew his wife, his son and his daughter. Rumor has it that a major article about Pepper Fryman will be published in a military journal next month.

At Camp Pendleton, we met with battle-hardened 27-year-olds. Without going into detail, these young Recon Marines are highly skilled, use very high tech equipment and work tirelessly. The “op tempo” is nothing short of brutal. It’s tough on the Marines. It’s tough on their families. But they love what they do.
These youngsters are dedicated, committed and heroic.

Just as our D-Day and Battle of the Bulge veterans served with primitive equipment — they were lucky to have wool socks sent from home — Vietnam era tactical equipment seems pretty primitive compared to that in use today.
On the other hand, if you have trouble with the TV remote, don’t reenlist. Current recon equipment has a lot more buttons.

Their energy reminded me of the sheer male energy and spirit of adventure that exuded from our son, when he served in the Marine Corps.
I told Len, “Now I realize why Andrew wanted to do this.”

He could only agree.
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ANITA SUSAN BRENNER is a longtime La Cañada Flintridge resident and an attorney with Law Offices of Torres and Brenner in Pasadena. Email her at anitasusan.brenner@yahoo.com and follow her on Twitter @anitabrenner.