THE WALL OF FACES

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. The remembrance from fellow soldier Samuel Grashio is poignant. As long as you are remembered you will remain in our hearts forever…..

Staff Sergeant Ronald Elwood Fields, Served with the 2nd Platoon, Company C, 3rd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 11th Infantry Brigade, Americal Division, United States Army Vietnam.

Dear Ssgt Ronald Fields,
Thank you for your service as an Infantryman. You are on the same panel as Mike, say hi to him in heaven. 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.

Dear SSGT Ronald Elwood Fields, 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

Hey Sarge, I want you to know that not too many days or nights go by that I have not thought about you and the brief time that we shared together. That night that we stayed up real late and talked I remember thinking that I was one lucky SOB to have you as my platoon sgt. I could also tell that the men in the platoon took an immediate liking to you. That endeared you to me even more. I respected you and I could not have received a better man for the job. I appreciated your humble and totally honest appraisal of your combat ability and experience. But I knew that you were a gentleman, a man of integrity. I remember that last night that you were telling me about your new German bride and how happy the two of were. Your southern accent had a way of softening the words that rolled out of your mouth.
It has taken me 41 years to finally have an opportunity to say these things at a place where they will mean something to you and your loved ones and friends.
I remember you and I looking eye to eye as you informed me that we were bunching up because 1st platoon was passing our platoon on that steep and very narrow path we were following to the top of that hill called 7??.(I do not remember the other numbers of that mountain right now) I told you to get your men up the mountain and that I would be responsible. At that exact moment I was bending over to put the prick 25 headphone back on the radio set when the enemy initiated that ambush. I did not know that you were hit because I dove for a large rock that was near me. I thought that they were going to whittle that rock I was behind down to dust because of all the bullets impacting on it. I was firing back at the enemy and was trying to organize some sort of offensive to get them off our back. It was then that Doc Zanzie yelled over to me that you were hit. I told Doc to get to you and see what was he could do for you. I did not realize it at first but I was also hit in that initial burst of gunfire in the ankle. Doc had to expose himself to the enemy fire to get to you because you were in the open. There were so many bullets impacting all around you and Doc that I did not think either of you could possibly make it. Doc drug you behind one of large rocks and Doc yelled at me and told me that you were choking on your own blood and that he was going to cut into your throat so that you would not suffocate.
As Doc was administering to you the rest of us were fighting off the ambush. The NVA had a 31cal machine gun up in a cave above the rocks. They would roll it out on tracks and fire at us but as soon as one of our gunships flew in their direction they rolled the gun back in the cave. They shot down one Huey that day.
When the dust off came in to take both you and I out the NVA up in the rocks and caves started trying to shoot it down, the medivac pilot almost did not come in because of all the enemy ordinance flying around. When he did land I manage to half carry half drag you out to the chopper but the chopper was hovering to high for me to lift you all the way up and in. I did not know what I was going to do because bullets were impacting everywhere, the dust around us was just boiling with bullets. Finally Doc realized what was going on and he ran out and helped me get you all the way in. Again I do not know how Doc was not killed at least twice that day. As you and I flew back to Duc Pho I could not take my eyes off of you. I remembered telling you that I would be responsible. I felt so damn responsible for your death that I was devastated. Somehow I realized that if I kept thinking with that frame of mind that I would not be able to effectively lead the rest of the platoon in combat. So I forced myself not to think about it. That was my second wound and I had just returned to the platoon just a few days before you came out to join us from my first wound. So that is what I did. I put it out of my mind but after I returned back to the world I would think back to that day and live it all over again, many, many times.
I have written letters to you a couple of times, I even wrote a letter to your wife explaining what happened that day but I did not have an address nor did I know where your family lived. So some of the letters I wrote I burned in a hopes of finding some forgiveness within myself. But I tormented myself for a long,long time and was not aware of what I was doing. But that is all in the past now,finding this media that allows me to leave you a letter where your family, loved ones, and friends can read it really will allow me to mend my own wounds and get on with my life.
I am so sorry that events that transpired that day did so in the way that they did but we can do nothing about that. It must have been God's will. I want you to know Ron that you are a hero that nobody knows about but believe you me the men in second platoon know it and in your own heart you know it too. If there are any relatives or friends that read this and would like to contact me please do so at my email address.
I love you Ron, hang in there and don't let the bastards grind you down.
Samuel E Grashio