THE WALL OF FACES

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. You died on my 19th birthday. I am now 73 and have lived a long and fulfilling life. It is tragic you never had that same opportunity. May you rest in eternal peace.

Sergeant Kenneth Paul Ehnis, Served with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 463 (HMH-463), Marine Aircraft Group 18 (MAG-18), 1st Marine Aircraft Wing (1st MAW), Third Marine Amphibious Force.

Dear Sgt Kenneth Ehnes,
Thank you for your service as an Aircraft CNE/Weapons/DECM Systems Technician. We remember all you who gave their all. It has been too long, and it's about time for us all to acknowledge the sacrifices of those like you who answered our nation's call. Please watch over America, it stills needs your strength, courage and faithfulness. Rest in peace with the angels.

Dear SGT Kenneth Paul Ehnis, 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

Crew members were CPT Lucien C. Tessier (KIA), CPT Bill W. Deetz (KIA), SGT Kenneth P. Ehnis (KIA), LCP Benjamin F. Johnson III (KIA), SGT Francis S.N. Torre (KIA); passengers andor other participants were CPT Barton J. Uplinger (KIA),HM2 Robert J. Bridges Jr. (KIA), TSG Sylvester McCullough (KIA), and PFC Robert E. Tyner (KIA). The MAG-16 Command Chronology states that at 1915H 19 February 1968 U.S. Marine Corps helicopter CH-53A tail number 153278 was declared overdue and missing after being last reported at 092 degrees20 NM from Channel #69 enroute to MMAF on an IFR clearance. Search and rescue operations were instigated and continued on a daily basis through the end of the month. From Ken Davis: McCullough was an Air Force medic; Tyner was an infantryman with A112th Cav. Ref (i) addresses both the question of BuNo 153278's mission and why PFC Tyner and TSgt McCullough were aboard the CH-53: 'The following is what R.E. [Tyner]'s family told us that the military told them concerning R.E. the day that the helicopter crashed: R.E. was wounded in the neckshoulder area while fighting in Hue. He was placed on a helicopter and was to be sent to a medical facility in Da Nang for treatment of his wounds. There were 13 men onboard the helicopter and several were Vietnamese soldiers. The flight time was supposed to take about 20 minutes from where they took off to where they were supposed to land. The helicopter had been in the air about 10 minutes when all contact with it was lost. All were declared MIA. Sometime later the Tyner family was contacted and told that the helicopter had been found and the men declared dead. They were told that of the 13 men on board that only enough remains of bodies were found to put in 3 coffins.' Mrs. Johnson grew up with 'R. E.' Tyner and knew him and his family well. Her husband entered the service at the same time as R. E. Tyner and went through training with him to include initial in-country indoctrination with the 1st Cav Division. They separated at that time, with Tyner assigned to A112 Cav and Johnson to D27 Cav. From the above it appears that BuNo 153278 was on a medevac mission tofrom Hue when it went down. Given the ref (d) 'last position' data of 09220NM Channel 16 the CH-53 was nowhere near NVN waters, and the wreckage certainly wasn't. It appears that an error was made in the initial coding of the casualty reports or at some point thereafter and that no corrections were made after the wreckage was located in June 1968. The medevac mission itself is indicated by the presence of a Corpsman (HM2 Bridges from the 3rd Med Bn, Danang); Mrs. Johnson's information; and the presence of a USAF medic, and TSgt McCullough. [Taken from vhpa.org]