THE WALL OF FACES

Petty Officer Third Class David Lloyd Dixon, Served with Detachment Cua Viet, United States Naval Support Activity (DaNang), United States Naval Forces Vietnam (USNAVFORV).

Dear MM3 David Dixon,
Thank you for your service as a Machinist's Mate 3rd Class. You are still MIA. PLEASE COME HOME.
Memorial Day is coming up, and we remember all you who gave their all. It has been too long, and it's about time 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.
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At 2:00 PM on September 28, 1968, two 100,000-gallon fuel barges at the Cua Viet Port facility dock at Da Nang in Quang Nam Province, RVN, exploded simultaneously from unknown causes resulting in a large fire. One of the barges was at the hard ramp while the other was at a sand ramp 200 feet away. Two naval personnel died from burns and another two were missing and presumed dead. Six more were medivacked for burns. Three naval river patrol boats were destroyed, two LCM-8 "Mike Boats" burned, and several pusher boats were either destroyed or damaged. During the blaze, small arms ammunition on the dock began cooking off. The tank landing ship USS Page County (LST-1076) played a significant role in extinguishing the fire when it approached within a few feet of the flaming pier and deployed its foam firefighting equipment. The lost naval personnel included SN Gary D. Collins, MM3 David L. Dixon, FN David P. Halpin, and MM2 Joseph D. Lilly. Dixon and Halpin were crewmembers aboard #28 boat which was engulfed by flames, forcing the crewmembers to jump into the water. Their remains were not recovered. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org]

I was stationed at SCRF DaNang in 1968, I knew David briefly when he worked with Joseph Lilly in our transmission shop. Both lost their lives at Cau Viet. RIP

Dearest David, You were the best of brothers, I have many memories of our growing up in a small town and all the things we did as kids. I can remember the last time I saw you and said goodbye, I had a bad feeling it would be the last but I hoped I was wrong. Your death tore our mother to her very core, she never got over it, but I know you two are visiting in Heaven.
You will be forever missed and never forgotten. You have a nephew named after you and I think he would make you proud. May God hold you in his hands until we meet again. Love you always, your oldest sister, Pauline