THE WALL OF FACES

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.

Private Elmer Eugene Fields, Served with Company C, 19th Engineer Battalion, 45th Engineer Group, 18th Engineer Brigade, United States Army Vietnam Engineer Command, United States Army Vietnam.

On May 24, 1969, engineers from C Company, 19th Engineer Battalion, were conducting a mine sweep on Highway QL-1 in Quang Ngai Province, RVN, when they were ambushed by the Viet Cong approximately two miles northeast of the city of Tam Quan. The assault on the convoy began at 6:20 AM when the engineers were attacked with automatic weapons, small arms, M79, and B-40 rocket fire. The rockets hit several of the engineer’s vehicles including a ¾-ton truck, a 5-ton dump truck, an ambulance, and two M42 40 mm “Duster” tracked-vehicles. The engineers dismounted their vehicles and returned fire. Five men assaulted the VC in a tree line 50 yards east of the road. Four of them died in the attempt. The VC then came from the tree line and overran the dump truck hit by the rocket and killed one American and captured one M16 and three M14 rifles. A reaction force arrived at 6:55 AM and stabilized the situation. One crewmen of a Duster, SGT Stephen L. Mc Carvel, was killed, and two others were wounded after rockets hit their tracked vehicle. The rocket which struck the ¾-ton truck wounded five, and another two Americans were wounded by small arms and automatic weapons fire. The five lost engineers were SP4 Mark W. Fenner, PVT Elmer E. Fields, PFC David A. Hargens, SP4 Gary A. Neavor, and SP4 Stanley Turner. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org]

Dear Elmer Fields,

I cannot begin to even form words to describe my gratitude for all that you have sacrificed for our nation. I wish that you were still here so that we could properly thank you, but even still, no amount of 'thank you's from people could amount for the bold step you took to protect this country.

From the bottom of my heart,
thank you for your service!

Dear Pvt Elmer Fields,
Thank you for your service as a Combat Engineer. Your 70th birthday is next week, happy birthday. It is Labor Day, and we remember you 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.