THE WALL OF FACES

During the month of April 1967, the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division conducted small unit patrols to interdict suspected enemy land and waterway infiltration routes and provide rice harvest protection in their area of responsibility in Quang Nam Province, RVN. On the morning of April 9, 1967, a squad combat platoon from F Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division was conducting sweep and clear operations five kilometers (3.0 miles) southwest of Que Son. At approximately 9:10 AM, the squad was withdrawing from a hamlet when they received 30-40 rounds of small arms fire from an adjacent ridge line. They requested a 4.2mm mortar mission on the enemy position. One round fell short and impacted near their position, killing one Marine, PFC Thomas P. Ciborowski, and wounding two others. One of the wounded, rifleman PFC Gerald B. Dorr, succumbed to his injuries six days later. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and “Command Chronology, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division” at ttu.edu]

I still have the letter you wrote. It is hard to believe you have been gone over 50 yrs. Every few years I reread your letters and look at the picture you sent me. You were a great kid. I was a senior in high school when you died. I remember your ready laugh and great smile. You will never be forgotten. God Bless you.

A butterfly lights beside us like a sunbeam
And for a brief moment its glory
and beauty belong to our world
But then it flies again
And though we wish it could have stayed...
We feel lucky to have seen it.

The American Legion of Massachusetts published the attached photo and poem several years ago for Gerald B Dorr. I do remember that the photo's poem struck me at the time, in relation to a song I know quite well. It was by a band in the 80s named the Smiths from Manchester, England. Singer and lyric writer Morrissey, wrote a line in a song they released in regards to the Moors murders in the 60s near Manchester. That lyric, that so closely is similar to the last two lines of Gerald B Dorr's poem goes exactly like this- A woman said, I know my son is dead. I'll never rest my hands, on his sacred head.
How many thousands of Mothers had those same thoughts during those years of Vietnam?

May those who served never be forgotten. Rest in peace PFC. Dorr, I salute your brave soul. My heart goes out to you and your family. Semper Fidelis!