THE WALL OF FACES

On April 16, 1966, Company H, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Amphibious Force was given the mission of destroying leftover ordnance at an abandoned Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) fort located six kilometers (3.6 miles) east of the Dai Loc-Ai Nghia bridge in Quang Nam Province, RVN. Inserted by helicopter under fire, the company quickly moved into a cane field where the hostile fire against them stopped. They shifted onto a road and marched through searing heat to their objective. Once at the fort, they destroyed the ordnance, then relocated into a large open area comprised of several dry rice paddies adjacent to the hamlet of Cam Van (2) where they set up for the night. The mortar section moved into a corner where two fields met. The ground was rock-hard, and they were unable to dig fighting holes, leaving them dangerously exposed. The men settled down and took turns taking watch. At 4:00 AM the following morning, a large Viet Cong (VC) ground force attacked the Marines’ positions with 81mm and 60mm mortars and 57mm recoilless rifles. A ground assault was launched simultaneously with the mortar attack. An estimated 160 rounds were fired at the Marines. They broke up the main VC assault with concentrated fire of their own, the enemy splitting into small units which continued probing attacks. By 5:15 AM, the mortar fire ceased, but small arms and automatic weapons fire still raked the U.S. positions. The VC took heavy casualties with 22 bodies counted at one point; however, the total was believed to be much higher as the enemy kept returning to the battle area to retrieve their dead and wounded. American losses were five killed and 37 wounded. The lost personnel included 2LT Anthony J. Battista (posthumously awarded the Silver Star medal), CPL Tommie M. Cripe, LCPL Victor E. Chase, LCPL James H. Kurdelski, and PFC Tony H. Hughes. The casualties were flown to Charlie Med west of Da Nang. In a scene reminiscent of the “Gone with the Wind” Battle of Atlanta wounded sequence, dozens of Marines were laid out on stretchers over sawhorses. Many had missing limbs or serious head injuries. One man screamed deliriously after a VC threw a grenade in his fighting hole, losing his right leg below the knee and the foot on his other leg. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and information provided by Jim Chase (October 2000) at vvmf.org]

Corporal Tommie Max Cripes, Served with Company H, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, Third Marine Amphibious Force.

Never forgotten.

Semper Fi, Marine

I am the granddaughter of Frank Bellissemo, he recently passed in April due to cancer. I was able to accompany him on his honor flight to DC in August of 2017. When I helped my grandpa find your name on the wall, he fell to his knees in tears. You were like a brother to him when you guys both served and he was heartbroken. Thank you for your service and I am happy to know that you guys might have been finally reunited up in the skies. Salute to you Tommie and my Grandpa.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.