Sam entered the Marines on March 27, 1967 in Dallas, Texas. He was assigned to Platoon 150 at MCRD - San Diego, California, for 8 weeks.

He then went to combat training at Camp Pendleton, California, for 6 weeks. After 10 days leave at home, he was sent to Camp Lejune, North Carolina (near Jacksonville). He went through radio operator school and was also cross-trained as a driver. He was trained to drive all the marines equipment from jeeps to tanks.

He then was assigned to an artillery unit at Camp Lejune - C Battery, 1st Battalion, 10th Marines. His unit was sent on a cruise in the Carribean for 4 months. While on this cruise they practiced military actions. They were put on alert for about 1 week around Cuba.

After the cruise he was sent to Vietnam. He served with the 7th Engineer Battalion Headquarters Company as a radio operator. His job consisted of sending and receiving all reports of action every day. He was also required to go out on patrols and convoys to other parts of Vietnam. His daily routine consisted of getting up around 4:00 a.m., going to the mess hall for breakfast, then loading up for a sweep of the roads for land mines. About 4:00 p.m., when they would get back from sweeps, they would gear up for night patrols. He was there from March 1968 through June 1969.