THE WALL OF FACES

Specialist Five Thomas Joel Davis, Served with Company D, 15th Transportation Battalion (Aircraft Maintenance & Supply), 1st Cavalry Division, United States Army Vietnam.

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. That you were so close to returning home before your death is unspeakably sad. As long as you are remembered you will always be with us.

I didn't know Tom when he was alive, i learned of him after i met my best friend, his brother Robert. I was told by Robert that when Tom received his draft notice his parents offered to send him to Canada to void the draft. Many had done that. I'm sure his parents could have found a doctor to have a bogus condition, read heel spurs or some other reason not to serve. Tom responded that if he went to Canada some other young man would have to take his place. His family was getting ready to pick him up at the airport upon his return from his tour and anticipated discharge when they got the phone call that Tom had been killed when the helicopter bringing to the base for his return flight home was shot down and destroyed with no survivors. A real American hero!

Dear Sp5 Thomas Davis,
Thank you for your service as a Single-Engine Single Rotor Helicopter Repairman with the 1st Cavalry. Your 50th anniversary is soon.... 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.

I served in the Army in Vietnam from August 8, 1967-August 8, 1968. I served in Company D 15th TC. The mission of our company was to repair helicopters during the war and we repaired them for the 227th.

I met Davis in An Khe in 1967. I used to see him in the chow lines and on the flight lines. Davis and I moved from An Khe to Camp Evans together around Jan/Feb ’68. We all loaded up all of our belongings, our weapons, jeeps. It was all loaded onto helicopters and we moved up to Camp Evans. There was nothing there but a barbed wire perimeter around the place. I personally had to dig holes, 6 feet deep. I only got down to 4 feet deep. They worked us 18 hours/day. The Company Commander said there was no play, and that this was the “real thing.”

Pertaining to Davis…. I woke up early one morning April 24, 1968. I looked left, then right, then down a path. I saw 6 helmets lined up, rifles sticking up underneath them. Combat boots next to them all lined up. I realized something was brewing, something was going on. They called a formation. Our Company Commander was a light commander, a short, rough mean guy. He was firm. He said “we lost 6 men.” He named off the men, starting with the pilot, James Crockett, then second he mentioned Ronald Oglesby, James Rainbow, Thomas J Davis, William V Musceen, Civ Prigan were all called too. Davis died on April 23rd, 1968 in a helicopter crash. The Company Commander told us under no circumstances were we to write home and tell our parents what happened. He said that this would be taken care of “through Army Channels,” and if we did tell, we would be subject to Court Marshall.

This all happened on April 23rd and 24th. Three days prior to this, James Robinson left camp to return home. Two or three days after the crash, probably April 26th, they came to me and told me” It’s your time to fly. You gotta get up and go.“ I told them “I don’t want to fly no more in those helicopters.” I didn’t want to fly anymore. They wanted me to fly to Cameron Bay (when Soldiers get ready to leave Vietnam, they go there 10 days). They told me “I want you to go there and James Robinson will be there. You’ve got to go there and find Robinson and you have to tell Robinson what happened.” I said “Ok, I’ll do it, I’ll fly.” I made a safe flight and I looked for Robinson. He was walking down a path and I spotted him. I called his name and told him about the helicopter crash. He said “Who was on that copter.” I told him: “Crocket, he was the pilot.” He screamed and he hollered, he said he knew everyone on that copter. He screamed and hollered like I never heard. He cried so… He named them all, including Davis. He thanked me in the end for coming to see him and telling him, and he shook my hand. He walked off and went one way, and I about face the other. I had to go back on the copter and fly…. I had to fly, seeing all of the patchwork, the rice fields and the patties, and I made a safe trip back.

I have visited the wall in DC with my family and I searched for these 6 comrades. When I go to that wall… it’s emotional. To Thomas J Davis, you are an American Hero, not me. I’m not the Hero. God In Heaven please take this message to Thomas and his family. I think of him often. When I get to heaven I’d like to see him and shake his hand and tell him thank you and I’m sorry.

Thank you.

Sincerely, your comrade in Vietnam 1967-68
Thomas Brownlee