THE WALL OF FACES

Frank is buried at East Martin Cemetery in Marin, Mich.

Frank, Although we never met,
I just want you to know you are
not forgotten. You gave the ultimate
sacrifice, your life for what you believed
in. Sleep well my friend, and thank you
for protecting the freedoms we enjoy
today.
A true American Hero.

SPECIALIST 4

FRANK DOEZEMA JR.


who served with


ADVISORY TEAM 3

MILITARY ASSISTANCE COMMAND, VIETNAM ADVISORS


was a posthumous recipient of the


DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS

PURPLE HEART

NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL

VIETNAM SERVICE MEDAL

REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM CAMPAIGN SERVICE MEDAL


and was entitled to wear the


COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE





THE PROUD YOUNG VALOR THAT ROSE ABOVE THE MORTAL
AND THEN, AT LAST, WAS MORTAL AFTER ALL





YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN

NOR SHALL YOU EVER BE



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY

HEADQUARTERS, UNITED STATES ARMY VIETNAM

APO San Francisco 96375

1 April 1968

GENERAL ORDERS NUMBER 1469

AWARD OF THE

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS

1. TC 320. The following AWARD is announced posthumously.

DOEZEMA, FRANK JR US54957418

SPECIALIST FOUR

United States Army

Advisory Team 3
United States Army Advisory Group
US MACV

Awarded: Distinguished Service Cross

Date action: 31 January 1968

Theater: Republic of Vietnam

For extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam: Specialist Four Doezema distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 31 January 1968 while defending his unit's compound in the city of Hue against a savage enemy attack. The insurgents unleashed an intense barrage of rocket, mortar and automatic weapons fire on the installation during the early morning hours, Specialist Doezema raced to his assigned defensive post, a twenty-foot wooden tower, and sprayed the assaulting enemy with deadly accurate machine gun fire. Heedless of the hostile fusillade directed at his exposed position, he directed his comrades' fire from the vantage point. A rocket exploded on the tower roof, and Specialist Doezema was seriously wounded by flying shrapnel. He determinedly remained at his post and continued firing at insurgents who were advancing in defilade behind a cement wall on the far side of the street. While shouting words of encouragement to his fellow soldiers and directing their fire, Specialist Doezema was mortally wounded by the explosion of a second enemy rocket. His fearless and gallant actions in close combat accounted for at least eighteen enemy killed and were responsible for the successful defense of the compound. Specialist Four Doezema's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty, at the cost of his life, were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~




20 JULY 1999

Frank Doezema Jr.,
D aring
O ptimistic
E minent
Z ealous
E xperienced
M edel-deserver
A dmirable

Your Admirer, L. Plafsky