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 sunlight 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.

Dear PFC Joseph Davi,
Thank you for your service as an Infantryman. We are celebrating Passover and Easter. It is a time of joy, and may that be yours in heaven. 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.

On September 22, 1966, four medics and three infantrymen from HHC, 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry, were killed in a friendly mine accident. The personnel lost in this incident included SP4 Richard P. Bartle, SP5 Hugh C. Clausen, PFC Joseph N. Davi, PFC Samuel E. Murph, PFC Larry. L. Reynolds, SP4 Walter L. Wells, and PFC George Wycinsky. The following is a personnel account by James Austin of the tragedy that took place: Part of our battalion's minefield had been cleared in order to expand our base camp's perimeter. When it was believed that all of the mines had been removed, as a precaution, a tank retriever (it is like a tank without the gun turret) ran back and forth over the cleared area in the belief that its weight would set off any undetected mines. There were no explosions, so this area was deemed cleared and safe. The following morning, three men were assigned to dig a foxhole in this cleared area for a future bunker site. Around 11:30 AM, one of the men struck an undetected mine and it went off. All three were seriously wounded and would die without immediate medical attention. A guard on duty in one of our perimeter bunkers called the aid station. Roughly twelve medics, with their aid bags, came running out of the aid station and headed up the dirt road to the small trail that led back to the perimeter. SP4 Bartle was one of these medics. Along the way, eight men from our company joined them. When this group of about twenty men arrived on the scene, they immediately started to render aid to the injured. A few minutes later, there was another explosion. Another call went out to the aid station. There were only a handful of medics there. These men had just arrived at the aid station and were the only ones available to go to the accident scene. Like the medics before them, they picked up their aid bags and headed for the perimeter. This second group also picked up volunteers along the way. When this second group of rescuers arrived on the scene, they found themselves looking upon a horrible sight. Their closest friends were scattered about on the ground, most of them with hellacious wounds. The three men originally injured were now dead. Three medics were near death. SP4 Bartle had shrapnel in his head, above his left eye. Five medics had limbs missing. One of the volunteers, who had joined the medics, lost an eye. There were several other men with, what could be considered, minor injuries. It must have been very difficult emotionally for the rescuers to comprehend what they were seeing and what they were going to have to do to save their friends from death. All of the rescuers in this second group were well aware that there was the possibility of other mines. Still they went in the minefield, one by one, following in the footsteps of the man in front of him. Once inside, they started working on the injured. A helicopter arrived on the scene, but would not land for fear of its weight setting off another mine. The medics and their helpers started loading the wounded on the sometimes swaying chopper. The helicopter then flew the loaded injured to our small surgical hospital located about a quarter of a mile away. The helicopter then returned to the accident scene for more wounded. This was repeated again and again until all of the injured were removed. Bartle was the only injured man not taken to the hospital by chopper. He was transported on a stretcher by jeep. I and another man kept the stretcher in place as the jeep driver took a short cut across some slightly rough ground. As we were moving, I asked Bartle how he was doing. He had been quiet and not really looking at us. He said he was fine, but he would like to have his wallet. I unbuttoned his shirt pocket and remover the item. He pointed to a picture of a girl. I removed the photo and handed it to him. I put his wallet back into his shirt pocket. He spent the rest of the trip quietly gazing at the picture. When we arrived at the hospital, we placed Bartle on a gurney. A nurse came by within seconds. She quickly looked at his wound then left. I squeezed one of Bartle's hands and assured him that he would be alright now that he was at the hospital. I fully believed he would recover from his wound. I and the other two men returned to our perimeter. It didn't seem long after our return that we received word Bartle had passed away. He died from being wounded while trying to save three other men. The way Bartle and his fellow medics bravely and without regard for their own personal safety reacted to this accident is an example of their commitment to those of us who served with them. We never doubted them in a crisis. (Nov 15, 2012) [Taken from thewall-usa.com]

Rest in peace with the warriors.

Dear PFC Joseph Nicholas Davi, 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