THE WALL OF FACES

You were gone before I was born, but today your story crossed my path.
Godspeed.

You were gone before I was born, but today your story crossed my path.
Godspeed.

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. The remembrances from Nancy Tumas are touching. As long as you are remembered you will always be with us.

On June 6, 1967, a U.S. Marine convoy was headed to Quang Ngai on Highway QL-1 approximately four miles southeast of Chu Lai Airfield when a M54 5-ton 6×6 cargo truck ran over and detonated a pressure-type mine. The blast killed two Marines and wounded four others. The lost Marines included PFC David W. Cloutier and LCPL Melvin S. Hoover, riflemen from L Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division. Both suffered blast and fragmentation injuries. No enemy action followed the explosion, and no small arms or automatic weapons fire was received. The M54 was severely damaged. A medivac helicopter came to the scene and removed the dead and wounded, and an U.S. Army unit in the area swept the road for more mines before the convoy continued. Two days later, another L/3/5 rifleman injured in the incident, CPL Howard A. Donald, died from his injuries at the 2nd Army Surgical Hospital in Chu Lai; and on June 15th, one of the drivers of the truck, CPL John A. Penna from A Company, 7th Motor Transportation Battalion, succumbed to his wounds at Naval Support Activity Station Hospital in Da Nang. Penna had suffered a skull fracture and 2nd degree burns to both arms and legs. He was memorialized at a service conducted on June 19th at the 7th Motor Transportation Battalion. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and Command Chronology for period 1 June 1967 to 30 June 1967 (7th Motor Transport Battalion) at ttu.edu]

Buddy I miss you to this day. You were a great friend and we shared many great times ! XO