THE WALL OF FACES

Specialist Four Lawrence Michael Dawson, Served with L Troop, 3rd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, United States Army Vietnam.

A butterfly lights beside us like a sunbeam
And for a brief moment its glory
and beauty belong to our world
But then it flies again
And though we wish it could have stayed...
We feel lucky to have seen it.

Operation Emporia (July 21-September 14, 1967) was a 9th Infantry Division operation to secure the major transportation avenues in Long Khanh Province, RVN. The mission was to deny the Viet Cong (VC) concealment along routes QL-2 and QL-20, and National Highway QL-1, which the enemy had long used as vantage points for tax collection, as well as ambush purposes. U.S. ground operations were conducted by the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment (Blackhorse) with convoy escort support provided by elements of the 720th MP Battalion. The first day of the operation began with 3rd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry conducting a road march along QL-20 to secure route clearing and Rome Plow operations for the 86th Engineers. At 9:35 AM, the 3rd Platoon of L Troop, 11th ACR was leading the squadron column accompanied by members of the 615th Military Police Company when they were ambushed near the village of Xa Binh Hoa by a VC force estimated at two battalions. The enemy fired recoilless rifle, heavy machine gun, rocket-propelled grenades, and automatic weapons. CPT William F. Abernethy, the Troop commander, was able to issue an ambush report over the squadron frequency before being fatally wounded. Troops I and K were ordered to sweep to the east and west flanks of QL-20 at the point of contact. K Troop moved down QL-20 to aid the embattled 3rd Platoon. They were met by intense automatic weapons and anti-armor fire from the west of the road just south of the ambush site. K Troop replied with unit weapons supported by air and artillery strikes. At 11:00 AM, enemy fire from the east of the road had completely ceased; by 1:30 PM, enemy resistance ended, and their remnants withdrew from the area. The 3rd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry lost fourteen men in the fighting. L Troop losses included CPT Abernethy (posthumously awarded the Silver Star medal), SP4 Lawrence M. Dawson, SP4 Richard J. Schutz, PFC Douglas W. Hill, (a medic from HHC w/ L/3/11), PFC Frank D. Leal, PFC Gary A. McLennan, PFC James L. Whitfield, and PVT Thomas F. Ganion. Three artillerymen from L Troop's Artillery Forward Observer team were also killed: PFC James F. Bean, PFC John J. Campa, and PFC George Foster. K Troop losses were1LT Ponder R. Sims, PFC Roosevelt C. Curley Jr., and PFC Billy G. Rodgers. Another forty-seven Americans were wounded, and two South Vietnamese interpreters were killed. Enemy losses were put at 196 dead. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org, virtualwall.org, and 720mpreunion.org]

Dear Sp4 Lawrence Dawson,
Thank you for your service as an Armor Reconnaissance Specialist. 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 Lawrence Michael Dawson, 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