THE WALL OF FACES

CSM Newell F. Applegate Sr. served with the 18th Replacement Company, 90th Replacement Battalion, U.S. Army Republic of Vietnam. The 90th Replacement Battalion was located 22 miles northeast of Saigon, RVN, at the huge U.S. complex known as Long Binh Post, headquarters of the U.S. Army Vietnam. At the height of the war, the 90th processed around 10,000 incoming soldiers per month. On April 10, 1971, Applegate was found dead in his quarters at Long Binh Post. Army postmortem studies determined he died of arteriosclerotic heart disease. A cardiovascular disease, atherosclerosis involves the reduction of blood flow to the heart muscle due to build-up of atherosclerotic plaque in the arteries of the heart. Applegate was 41 years old. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org; obituaries from the Eureka Herald (Eureka, KS), April 15 and April 22, 1971, courtesy of Chris Cummings, Greenwood County Historical Society, Eureka, KS]

Image courtesy of Redbird Research LLC, Saint Charles, MO.

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 sun 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.

As long as you are remembered you will never die....

CSM Newell F. Applegate served with the 18th Replacement Company, 90th Replacement Battalion, U.S. Army, Republic of Vietnam. On April 10, 1971, CSM Applegate was found dead in his quarters at Long Binh Post, the major command headquarters for United States Army Vietnam (USARV) in Long Binh ward between Bien Hoa and Saigon, RVN. According to his obituary, Applegate’s death was attributed to “unknown causes.” He was 41 years old. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org; obituaries from the Eureka Herald (Eureka, KS), April 15 and April 22, 1971, courtesy of Chris Cummings, Greenwood County Historical Society, Eureka, KS]

YOU FOUGHT IN WWII, KOREA, AND VIETNAM ONLY TO DIE THE NEXT DAY YOU GOT TO VIETNAM. NON HOSTILE ILLNESS OR DISEASE.REST IN PEACE SERGEANT MAJOR YOU DESERVE IT.