THE WALL OF FACES

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. As long as you are remembered you will always be with us....

PFC Luis Cruz was assigned to Co. A. !st Bn (Mech), 16th Inf., 1st Inf Div. He was the gunner on an M113A1 armored personnel carrier on 2 May 1969 when the vehicle was hit in the front of the .50 cal shield by an RPG. He was killed instantly when the anti tank rocket hit immediately in front of him. SPC Franklin G. Atkinson, who was the driver of the APC was mortally wounded by the same RPG. As company XO these events were reported to me. Every day I say a prayer for PFC Cruz.

Although I have never met you, I will never forget you. I knew so little about you. I knew your name was Philipe, and you were in fact the oldest, not my father. I was told that you could paint, that you built grandma's house in Puerto Rico, and that you died in Vietnam. Your painted portrait was in grandma's house and that is the only known picture we have of you. Your nieces and nephews make sure you live on, that our children know who you are. We will always honor you, Tio Philipe. Until we meet.

On May 2, 1969, an American supply convoy on its way to the headquarters of the 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division at Quan Loi was ambushed by a North Vietnamese Army unit resulting in four U.S. killed and eleven wounded. The unknown size NVA force attacked with a hail of rocket-propelled grenades and small arms from both sides of the road. The U.S. troops returned fire with machine guns and armored vehicles while helicopter gunships, artillery, and Air Force fighter-bombers provided cover. Infantrymen from a mechanized unit of the 1st Brigade were called in to reinforce the troops during the 30-minute battle. The lost U.S. troopers were SP4 Franklin G. Atkinson Jr. and PFC Luis P. Cruz, infantrymen from A Company, 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry; and SP5 Rodney J. Black and SP5 Daniel Carrasco, drivers from the 572nd Transportation Company. Despite the American casualties, U.S. equipment damage was light. A sweep of the area afterwards revealed the bodies of eleven NVA. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and “Reds Hit Convoy, Kill 4.” Pacific Stars & Stripes, May 5, 1969]

Dear PFC Luis Cruz,
Thank you for your service as an Infantryman. 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.