Vaughn Banting was a grunt with Charlie Company 2/12 from 1970 thru 1971.  After his discharge Vaughn returned to his horticulture career and started what was to become a highly successful horticultural services company.  Vaughn is a member of the National Bonsai Foundation and has lectured on bonsai around the world.  Some of his Bonsai trees are on display at the National Arboretum where there is an atrium dedicated to him. Vaughn and his wife Gayle make their home in Louisiana.      During guard duty on missions Vaughn would compose haiku or poetry in his head and then commit them to paper at first light. He mailed them to his mother who would type them and mail them back to him.  Some of Vaughn's writing can be found on this site by clicking here.      A small historical fact: Vaughn was wounded in the last firefight ever fought by the 2/12 Infantry Regiment.