THE WALL OF FACES

Your sacrifice is not forgotten.

Staff Sergeant Joseph Jesus Del Rosario, Served with the 35th Civil Engineer Squadron, 35th Tactical Fighter Wing, 7th Air Force.

As the intensity of the Vietnam War increased in 1966, the U.S. Air Force began to replace its rotational units on temporary duty in Southeast Asia with permanent ones. As a result, the 35th Tactical Fighter Wing took up residence at Phan Rang Air Base in August 1966. Missions included close air support of ground forces, air interdiction, visual and armed air reconnaissance, escort, and rapid reaction alert. The number of Air Force support personnel increased at Phan Rang and included SSGT Joseph J. Del Rosario, a long-time veteran serving stateside who was planning retirement for January 1969 after nearly twenty years of service. Nevertheless, the Air Force needed experienced men like Del Rosario, and he was ordered to Vietnam in September 1968. He had completed nearly eight months of his one-year tour of duty when on May 1, 1969, Del Rosario died at Phan Rang after suffering a fatal heart attack. He was forty-two years old. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and the Bennington Banner (Bennington, VT), May 7, 1969]

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

Without people like you our great nation would not exist. Rest in peace SSGT. Rosario, I salute your brave soul.