THE WALL OF FACES

On July 24, 1969, a U.S. Army helicopter UH-1D (tail number 66-00879) from the 175th Assault Helicopter Company was destroyed by a seed bomb that activated when it hovered over it. The aircraft had flown out to visit a completely unthreatened, remote Special Forces A-Team camp in the Kien Tuong province. The helicopter landed outside the camp’s defensive perimeter on an unsecured chopper pad right on top of an artillery shell that the Viet Cong had fashioned into a land mine. There were no survivors. The crew included pilots WO1 James D. Earnest and CAPT John P. Roe, crew chief SP4 Robert L. Glascow, gunner SP4 Robert J. Whites, and crewman SGT Francis M. Beverly. There were two passengers from the 10th Special Forces Group (ABN), LTC Martin R. Beck and CAPT Louis J. Geneseo. Beck and Geneseo had deployed together to Vietnam from Fort Devens, Massachusetts, and had only been in country a little over a week. [Taken from vhpa.org and the book Mekong First Light, by J.W. Callaway Jr.]

Dear WO James Dale Earnest, 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

James is buried at Roselawn Cemetery in McAllen,TX. DFC AM8OLC ARCOM PH

FOREVER REMEMBERED

"If you are able, save for them a place inside of you....and save one backward glance when you are leaving for the places they can no longer go.....Be not ashamed to say you loved them....
Take what they have left and what they have taught you with their dying and keep it with your own....And in that time when men decide and feel safe to call the war insane, take one moment to embrace those gentle heroes you left behind...."

Quote from a letter home by Maj. Michael Davis O'Donnell
KIA 24 March 1970. Distinguished Flying Cross: Shot down and Killed while attempting to rescue 8 fellow soldiers surrounded by attacking enemy forces.

We Nam Brothers pause to give a backward glance, and post this remembrance to you, one of the gentle heroes lost to the War in Vietnam:
... and rest forever in the shade of our love, brother.

From your Nam-Band-Of-Brothers

You pedalled the bike and I threw the papers, what a time we had as kids. I've never forgotten you and never will.