THE WALL OF FACES

Warrant Officer Loren Eugene Engstrom, Served with the 170th Assault Helicopter Company, 52nd Aviation Battalion, 17th Aviation Group, 1st Aviation Brigade, United States Army Vietnam.

National Route 19 (QL-19) ran across South Vietnam roughly in line with the 14th parallel north. In August 1965, the 1st Cavalry Division established Camp Radcliff at An Khe along QL-19, making the highway a vital supply artery to the chain of bases established in the Central Highlands. The Viet Cong (VC) and North Vietnamese Army (NVA) were displeased with these developments they viewed as impediments to their own tactical objectives. Subsequently, throughout the region, the enemy launched frequent ambushes against Allied units and repeatedly mined the roadway along QL-19. On November 13, 1968, a convoy was traveling on QL-19 in Binh Dinh Province, approximately eleven miles west of An Khe, when 60mm mortars fired from the south side of the roadway began impacting near the column of vehicles. Small arms fire was also received at about the same location. Two helicopter gunships from the 170th Attack Helicopter Company “Buccaneers” providing convoy cover spotted twenty-five NVA 300 yards south of the road. As the first gunship started to make its run against the enemy combatants, it was hit by several rounds of .51 automatic weapons fire. The UH-1C (#66-15163) aircraft experienced a complete tail rotor failure after the rotor shaft sheared off causing the helicopter to crash. Two crewmen, aircraft commander WO1 Loren E. Engstrom and crew chief SP5 Arthur E. Keesee, were killed, and two others were injured. The second Buccaneer gunship engaged the NVA with five possible kills reported. Tanks from 69th Armor were sent as a reaction force with infantrymen from Scout Platoon, 1/50 Infantry. The tanks fired on the NVA which were pursued by the dismounted Scout Platoon. The infantrymen located one dead NVA hit by a (tank) cannister round. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org, vhpa.org, and “History of 1st Battalion (Mechanized), 50th Infantry, 173rd Airborne Brigade, 1 October 1968 – 31 December 1968” at ichiban1.org]

Do not stand at my grave and weep
I am not there. I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning's hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry;
I am not there. I did not die.

Think of you often, mention you when talking to others about Healeys. My Healey has been rebuilt, looks good as new. Yours was special the white with red interior. That first rally you talked me into is burnt into my memory, getting stuck in ditch until farmer pulled my Healey out with his tractor. You may have helped if you had stopped laughing. 52 years, likely seeing you all too soon on the Green, keep the beer cold.

Loren and I were stick buddies at Rucker. He frequently fell asleep on night flights while the navigator. Ended up about two miles in the Gulf one night. Tried to catch a baby skunk one night - came by my apartment about midnight to see what could be done about the smell before he returned to the barracks. We raced from Rucker to California - my Corvette and his leaky Healey. Hours of rain through Louisiana. Had to stop twice to bail water from his car. We flew to Vietnam together and hung out for about two weeks waiting for our assignment. We went different ways. Last time I saw him. My wife sent us both care packages while in Nam. She was notified of his death. She told me. I think of him and our adventures frequently. Don Emlay “C” company, 229th AHB, 1st Cav