THE WALL OF FACES

Finally I found you my son you dad passed at an early age like you I was only 5 when he passed and he was only 3 when you passed. I’m so happy I can see your face and what you look like. Thank for serving and having a great purpose I’m so happy to know where you are and what happened. Thank god!!!

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.

SP4 Jesse C. Felder was an Airborne-qualified infantryman serving with A Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry, 173rd Airborne Brigade. On June 24, 1966, the 173rd Airborne Brigade was deployed on Operation Yorktown, a search and destroy operation southeast of Xuan Loc in Long Khanh Province, RVN. The mission was to locate and engage Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army forces in the area. On the afternoon of June 28th, A Company set up an overnight defensive position in some rubber trees adjacent to a road used by civilians. At daybreak the following morning, their location was hit by one or two mortars, killing Felder and wounding another. The precision of the attack was remarkable as the round or rounds landed directly inside the U.S. position. It was afterwards surmised that a civilian pushing a bicycle on the road the day before with white tape around the tire was actually counting wheel revolutions, calculating the distance to target for the Viet Cong mortar team. Felder’s death came on the same day in which ten of his comrades were killed when A/2/503rd made contact with a main force Viet Cong regiment many times its size. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and the documentary “My Father’s Brother” (2021)]

You will forever remain in our hearts and prayers

I never met you I was in B company the same time you were there. I lost friends in A company. I salute you fellow Paratrooper. God bless.