THE WALL OF FACES

I grew up in Hurffville, New Jersey and one of my parent's friends were the Atkinsons. We would go to visit once in a while and I would play with their son Frankie who was 5 yrs older than me. One day while home on leave from the Navy I rode my bicycle from from Pitman to Hurffville and as I came to my old church, the Bethel Methodist Church, I decided to ride around the graveyard. For some unknown reason I stopped and looked down at the nearest headstone and it was the grave of Frank Atkinson Jr. As a chill ran up and down my spine I realized the real cost of war and the sacrifice that so many have made. R.I.P. my old friend Frank and thank you for your service.

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. As long a you are remembered you will never truly die.

SPC Frank Atkinson was a good soldier. He joined the 1st platoon of A (Alpha) Co,. 16th Inf (Mech) 1st Inf Div in Nov '68. I was platoon leader and served with him until April '69 when I became Executive officer of the company. While under my command Frank served in an exemplary manner. He was always willing to complete the mission and never waivered in his commitment duty. Frank was the driver on an APC (M113A1) when a convoy they were providing security for was ambushed on Highway 13 RVN. Frank's vehicle was hit head on by an RPG which hit the gunner's seat and killed PFC Cruz instantly. Frank as driver was hit in the back of the head by shrapnel from the RPG back blast. Frank died of his wounds . Of all the men I served with in Viet Nam Frank Atkinson is the one who most affected me. Every day I try to say a prayer for him.

Specialist Four Franklin Gahrs Atkinson Jr., Served with Company A, 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, United States Army Vietnam.

On May 2, 1969, an American supply convoy on its way to the headquarters of the 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division at Quan Loi was ambushed by a North Vietnamese Army unit resulting in four U.S. killed and eleven wounded. The unknown size NVA force attacked with a hail of rocket-propelled grenades and small arms from both sides of the road. The U.S. troops returned fire with machine guns and armored vehicles while helicopter gunships, artillery, and Air Force fighter-bombers provided cover. Infantrymen from a mechanized unit of the 1st Brigade were called in to reinforce the troops during the 30-minute battle. The lost U.S. troopers were SP4 Franklin G. Atkinson Jr. and PFC Luis P. Cruz, infantrymen from A Company, 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry; and SP5 Rodney J. Black and SP5 Daniel Carrasco, drivers from the 572nd Transportation Company. Despite the American casualties, U.S. equipment damage was light. A sweep of the area afterwards revealed the bodies of eleven NVA. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and “Reds Hit Convoy, Kill 4.” Pacific Stars & Stripes, May 5, 1969]