THE WALL OF FACES

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. As long as you are remembered you will remain in our hearts forever.....

Specialist Four Nathan Eugene Crouch, Served with Company B, 26th Engineer Battalion, Americal Division, United States Army Vietnam.

SP4 Nathan E. Crouch, PFC Thomas Graham Jr., and SP5 Kenneth D. Hays were Combat Engineers serving with B Company, 26th Engineer Battalion, Americal Division. On the morning of January 27, 1969, they were attached to 5th Battalion, 46th Infantry, 198th Light Infantry Brigade, Americal Division, during Operation Russell Beach, a combined U.S Marine, Army and ARVN effort to cleanse the Batangan Peninsula of the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army. The Engineers had with them a bomb-sniffing dog handler to detect booby traps that they would then blow in place. Throughout the morning they conducted sweeps in their assigned area. Before noon, they met up with one of the Marine Companies and a unit of the 11th Light Infantry Brigade in a rice paddy. While the infantry personnel were taking a break, the Engineers were still doing a sweep to secure the area. Suddenly, an enormous explosion occurred. The dog had failed to detect a trip wire and triggered what was later determined to be a 250 lb. booby-trapped artillery round. The dog handler suffered devastating injuries, losing both legs and his left arm in the blast. The Engineers, Crouch, Graham and Hays, suffered a worse fate as all three were killed by the explosion. Graham was still alive when evacuated but died later in the day. Another sixteen Americans were wounded. A CH-47 Chinook helicopter “dusted off” the dead and wounded to the USS Tripoli, a Navy vessel anchored in the South China Sea serving as a hospital ship. The evacuation helicopter only set down after a heated discussion between the field commander and the pilot, who did not want to land in the rice paddy for fear of setting off another booby trap. After spending the night on the Tripolli, the survivors were flown the next morning by Chinook to the 312th Evacuation Hospital in Chu Lai. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and information provided by Danny L. Baker (October 2011) at purpleheartaustin.org]

Dear Sp4 Nathan Crouch,
Thank you for your service as a Rough Terrain Forklift & Loader Operator. It is so important for us all to acknowledge the sacrifices of those like you who answered our nation's call. Please watch over America, it stills needs your strength, courage and faithfulness. Rest in peace with the angels.

Dear SP4 Nathan Eugene Crouch, 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