THE WALL OF FACES

Do not stand at my grave and weep
I am not there; I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow,
I am the diamond glints on snow,
I am the sun on ripened grain,
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning's hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there; I did not die.

As long as you are remembered you will never die...

On December 18, 1968, the men of the 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry “Manchus” constructed a patrol base camp nine and a half miles south of Tay Ninh City in Tay Ninh Province, RVN. In a single day, Company A, 65th Engineers, transformed 186,000 pounds of building materials hauled in by twenty-seven helicopter into a well-fortified position dubbed Patrol Base Mole City. Located in one of the most used infiltration routes in the III Corps, the enemy demonstrated their displeasure over the base by attacking it four days later. In the early morning hours of December 22, 1968, Mole City came under a massive ground assault by 1500 men of the 272nd Regiment of the 9th North Vietnamese Army Division. The attack began shortly after midnight with a fierce mortar, 75mm recoilless rifle, and RPG attack followed immediately by a heavy small arms and automatic weapons fire. The 500 U.S. defenders responded with unit weapons, and very soon after had air and artillery support. When inbound gunships from the 25th Aviation Battalion located fifteen minutes away at Cu Chi contacted the ground commander seeking a situation report, the reply was they were surrounded and in danger of being overrun. The battle continued for several hours, with the NVA penetrating the wire; however, once inside the trench line, they were picked off by Manchu marksmen. A human-wave attack was repulsed by the valiant Manchus by laying down a massive field of fire. So heavy was the volume of fire, that four M60 machine gun barrels melted down completely. The Manhcu's lowered their 105mm artillery tubes to chest-high level and were shooting beehive (fleshettes) rounds point blank. Near dawn the NVA pulled out. The battle claimed 106 enemy lives. Aviation units orbiting the battlefield in the morning light reported bodies were strewn everywhere, scattered about with a multitude of weapons, both personal and crew served. American losses were nineteen killed. They included SP4 Justin K. Anderson, SFC Richard G. Barnard, PFC Phillip E. Benjamin, PFC Donald G. Bousley, PFC Richard T. Chambers, SP4 Donald I. Culshaw, PFC Dennis L. Dulebohn, PFC Gary W. Everett, PFC Charles P. Glenn, SP4 Thomas L. Goodale, 1SG Manuel D. Madruga, PFC Henry E. Maul, SGT Michael A. Minko, SP4 Dionisio Sanchez-Ortiz, 1LT Ernest J. Stidham, SP4 Willie J. Tate, PFC Malcom R. True Jr., PFC Alfred Viel, and PFC Terry J. Ward. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org, manchu.org, and information provided by Ron Leonard at vhpa.org]

Justin was in the graduating class after me in 1963.
I last saw him just before he went to Vietnam as we both had orders to the big puddle at the same. Justin was Army and I was Navy. He was a terrific guy. I read the after action report of the battle at Mho City which is very terrifying. To me I will always remember as a HERO.

I attended Lane Technical High School with you. You had ROTC and joined the war right after high school. I remember you as one of the nicest guys there were at Lane and will lways remember you my friend. The world was indeed a sadder place when you were taken.

We need your help! Since 1986, the students of Lake Central High School in Northwest Indiana have been researching men and women from the State of Indiana who gave their lives in the Vietnam War. We are the researchers for the World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam War Memorials located in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. Of the1621 Vietnam casualties, we have located 1100+ families as of the date of this entry. We are now researching the men and women from the State of Illinois who gave their lives in the Vietnam War. If you have any information or photos that may help please contact us at the following: [email protected]