THE WALL OF FACES

WO Marcus Asplund is buried at First Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery in Alsip, Illinois.

"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again, who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who at best, knows the triumph of high achievement; and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat."
-Theodore Roosevelt, "Citizen in a Republic", April 23, 1910

Warrant Officer Marcus Ray Asplund, Served with the 118th Assault Helicopter Company, 145th Aviation Battalion, 12th Aviation Group, 1st Aviation Brigade, United States Army Vietnam.

Thank you for your service and your sacrifice. Thank you for stepping up and answering your country's call. Rest easy knowing you will never be forgotten.

On July 27, 1968, a U.S. Army helicopter UH-1C (tail number 65-09564) from the 118th Assault Helicopter Company was shot down while providing close air support to a ground unit in Phuoc Long Province (III Corps), RVN. The aircraft was hit by unknown ground fire approximately 4 miles east of Tan An. The helicopter burst into flames and spiraled down and crashed. It appeared the flight control systems had been damaged in the attack and the pilots could not control the ship. The crew chief, PFC James H. Young, and gunner, SP4 John W. Acosta, were unable to exit the downed aircraft and perished inside the raging inferno. Both the aircraft commander, WO1 Marcus R. Asplund, and co-pilot, WO1 Michael R. Wilson, were able to get out, but were critically burned. They were evacuated to Camp Zama in Japan for treatment. Wilson died on August 11, 1968, succumbing to injuries and burns suffered in the incident. Asplund died two days later of pneumonia secondary to the burns he received. The remains of Young and Acosta were taken to a morgue in Saigon where they were identified and returned to the United States. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and vhpa.org]