THE WALL OF FACES

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. Reading the remembrances left by others depict a wonderful person who left us way too soon. As long as you are remembered you will never truly die.

As your birthday approaches, your sacrifice is not forgotten.

Forever 18.

HOOAH

Although I did not know you, I honor your name. Although I did not know you, I honor your history. Although I did not know you, I honor your service, because without you, I would not be free. I was 7 years old when you honored your country with your life. I am now 58 years old, because you were a citizen of the Home of the Brave.

Camp Evans was located north of the old imperial capital of Hue in Thua Thien Province, RVN. The camp harbored the 1st Cavalry Division, dozens of its support units, and a number of other U.S. military units as well. There were mortar, RPG, and rocket attacks almost nightly on the base. In the weeks following the Tet Offensive, there was a lot of action in the area surrounding Hue and numerous attacks on U.S. camps and installations. The night of March 25, 1968, seemed routine enough at the 371st Radio Research Company, the Army Security Agency’s direct support unit for the 1st Cavalry. There were the usual mortar explosions, followed by 122mm rockets whistling in. CPT John M. Casey, an Electronic Warfare Cryptologic Staff Officer with 371st RR Company, rousted the ASA troops out of their hooches and sent them running to the relative safety of their bunker. The men could hear and feel the impact of the explosive rounds pounding their area of the camp. When the attack was over, CPT Casey had been killed by a mortar explosion and SP4 Ross Applegate, an intelligence analyst in the 583rd Military Intelligence Company (1st Cavalry), was critically wounded. SP4 Applegate was admitted to the 18th Surgical Hospital where he expired the following day. Casey had given his life trying to protect his men. In his efforts to ensure that all of his troops made it into their bunker, Casey was unable to reach safety himself, and had been killed by a mortar round. Four other 1st Cavalry Division personnel were killed during the attack. They included SP4 Richard E. Heil, an infantryman from the 15th Administration Company; 2LT John O. Sherrill, a Field Artillery Unit Commander from Headquarters & Headquarters Battalion (HBB), Division Artillery; SP5 Herbert F. Weltz Jr., a Personnel Specialist with the 15th Administration Company; and SP5 Robert J. Wiedeman, an Intelligence Analyst from the 191st Military Intelligence Detachment. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and 1st Cavalry Division at facebook.com]

I was on guard duty at our DTOC area the night of the mortar attack that took Ross's life. Bob Wiedemann was also killed by the same mortar round. It came through their tent and landed on Bob. I was so afraid that night because I was practically out in the open. I did some praying. I'm so sorry about Ross and Bob and so many more. Why I can home and so many didn't that year I'll never know. Bob and Ross have never been forgotten. God Bless their families who had to go on without them all these years. My heart still aches for all those we lost.