THE WALL OF FACES

On June 30, 1964, a U.S. Army helicopter UH-1B (tail number 62-01879) from the 52nd Aviation Battalion was one of two gunships providing protection for unarmed Marine H-34 helicopters which were resupplying ground troops near a little grass-hut village called Phoun San, about thirty-five miles south and west of Da Nang, Vietnam, an area they referred to as “Indian country.” As they entered the LZ aircraft 879 was flying low recon over the area when it came under enemy fire. The pilot, 2LT William B. Cawthorne, sitting right seat, was hit through the right shoulder and chest and unable to recover the helicopter, which crashed. The left seat pilot, CAPT Rodney Turner, suffered severe leg injuries. The crew chief, PFC Freddy D. Dodson, was pinned under the left side skid. The gunner, PFC Peino Salinas, although injured, tried to lift the burning helicopter off PFC Dodson’s legs but was unable and suffered burns on his hands as a result of his efforts. A swift moving fire consumed the aircraft and PFC Salinas was forced to retreat. He and CAPT Turner would survive their injuries, but both 2LT Cawthorne and PFC Dodson were killed. CAPT Cawthorne was able to exit the helicopter and assisted the other crewmen in getting out, but once outside, he sat down, collapsed, and was pronounced dead upon arrival at the United States Marine Corps, Medical Dispensary at Da Nang. The evacuation of CAPT Cawthorne and the two surviving crew members was accomplished within minutes after the crash, by a Marine Corps helicopter. Operations on CAPT Turner’s left leg shortened it by two inches. PFC Salinas was returned to full duty three days after the crash. PFC Dodson’s remain were recovered and brought back to Da Nang. Soon afterward, the Marines held a memorial service in their chapel for their fallen Army comrades. [Taken from vhpa.org and Vietnam Helicopter Crew Member Stories Volume II, by H.D. Graham]

Dear PFC Freddy Dean Dodson, 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

I knew Freddy and his family. His dad worked at the sawmill and his mother was precious! His mom came to my moms beauty shop and Freddy would come with her. He was older than me but he didn't treat me like a little kid. He was kind and I looked up to him. His parents were devastated by his death and I don't know that they ever got past that. I couldn't understand it either back then and I don't know that I do to this day. His parents couldn't afford to send him to college and some of our parents could. No one knew that this would be a fork in the road that led to different destinies. Freddy you are still one of my heroes !!!

We were only married 6 months - too short a time for this war to take you from me and to have our lives destroyed in this most violent way. I was only 19 and far too young to be a widow, and you were only 24, far too young to have been murdered in what I now believe was a senseless war. But that was true of many couples of the war. The widows'lives were thrown into hell like the soldiers who served and/or died in nam. In fact, almost anyone who had close contact with the war by serving in it or by loving someone who served in the war had their lives thrown into unspeakable hell.

Freddy is buried at Algoma Cemetery South and North, Marshall, Harrison County,TX.