THE WALL OF FACES

Ben Het Camp (also known as Ben Het Special Forces Camp) was a former U.S. Army and Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) base northwest of Kon Tum in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. The camp was notable for being the site of a tank battle between the U.S. Army and the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN), one of the few such encounters during the Vietnam War. On March 3, 1969, Ben Het was attacked by the PAVN 66th Regiment, supported by armored vehicles of the 4th Battalion, 202nd Armored Regiment. One of the attacking PT-76s detonated a land mine, which alerted the camp and lit up the other PT-76s attacking the base. Flares were sent up, exposing adversary tanks, but sighting in on muzzle flashes, one PT-76 scored a direct hit on the turret of an M48 of the 1st Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, killing two crewmen, SP5 Lynn D. Anderson and SP4 Jeffrey K. Goss, and wounding two more. Another M48, using the same technique, destroyed a PT-76 with their second shot. At daybreak, the battlefield revealed the wreckage of two PT-76s and one BTR-50 armored personnel carrier. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and wikipedia.org]

DEAR SPECIALIST 5TH CLASS ANDERSON,
THANKS FOR YOUR SERVICE AS AN ARMOR CREWMAN, REST IN PEACE.

Lynn D. Anderson
Date of birth: May 6, 1949
Date of death: March 3, 1969
Place of Birth: Texas, Raymondyville
Home of record: Wishram Washington
Status: KIA

AWARDS AND CITATIONS

Silver Star
Awarded for actions during the Vietnam War

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918 (amended by an act of July 25, 1963), takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Specialist Fifth Class Lynn D. Anderson (ASN: RA-18960800), United States Army, for gallantry in action while engaged in military operations against an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam. Specialist Fifth Class Anderson distinguished himself while serving as a tank driver with Company B, 1st Battalion, 69th Armored Regiment, 4th Infantry Division. On 3 March 1969, the 1st Platoon, Company B, 1st Battalion, 69th Armor was occupying permanent dug-in positions on the west hill of the Ben Het Special Forces Camp. Intelligence reports had revealed that the hill would receive a ground attack that night and at 2100 hours a heavy bombardment of enemy artillery and mortar rounds started. The driver of tank B-14, Specialist Anderson, realized that he could do little as his tank was in a stationary position. Seeing that the 60-mm. mortar pit was undermanned, Specialist Anderson left the safety of his tank and ran to the mortar pit despite the fact that he was fully exposed to the enemy shelling. There he assisted in manning the mortar. At 2130 hours, enemy tanks were spotted on Highway 512 to the west. Tanks B-13 and B-14 immediately engaged the incoming vehicles with a fierce exchange of rounds being fired by both sides. One of the enemy rounds exploded near Specialist Anderson's tank. Fearing that some of his crewmembers had been injured, Specialist Anderson ran through the heavy enemy fire to tank B-14. There he found the loader firing the externally mounted .50 caliber machine gun so as to direct the gunner on target with tracers. Specialist Anderson immediately began to supply the machinegun with ammunition. Tank B-14 then received direct hit from an enemy tank, instantly killing Specialist Anderson and the loader and severely wounding two others. Specialist Fifth Class Anderson's personal bravery, aggressiveness and exemplary devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.
General Orders: Headquarters, 4th Infantry Division, General Orders No. 1732 (May 16, 1969)

Action Date: March 3, 1969

Service: Army

Rank: Specialist Fifth Class

Company: Company B

Battalion: 1st Battalion

Regiment: 69th Armored Regiment

Division: 4th Infantry Division

Although I came into this world long after you were gone, your legacy lives.

March 3 is a date of great importance as having been the birthday of your sister, brother, and what would have been your great nephews.

Now that your baby sister, my mom has also passed, I hope that you are rejoicing in heaven.

Id love to hear from any of my uncle Lynn's (aka Andy) friends or comrades in arms.

May peace be with you-
John

Dear SP5 Lynn Dennis Anderson, sir

As an American, I would like to thank you for your service and for your sacrifice made on behalf of our wonderful country. The youth of today could gain much by learning of heroes such as yourself, men and women whose courage and heart can never be questioned.

May God allow you to read this, and may He allow me to someday shake your hand when I get to Heaven to personally thank you. May he also allow my father to find you and shake your hand now to say thank you; for America, and for those who love you.

With respect, and the best salute a civilian can muster for you, Sir

Curt Carter