THE WALL OF FACES

Naval Corpsman School - Great Lakes Naval Training Center - July 6, 1967

I HOPE YOUR PICTURE GETS POSTED!!!

DEAR PETTY OFFICER AUCOIN,
THANKS FOR BEING A HOSPITAL CORPSMAN AND FOR THE LIVES OF THE MARINES YOU SAVED. WE ARE CELEBRATING COLUMBUS DAY, AND THE DISCOVERY THAT LED TO US BEING IN AMERICA. THANK YOU FOR PROTECTING AMERICA. REST IN PEACE.

Bob was the first person I met when I arrived at the Newport Naval Hospital in September of 1967. Being from the Midwest I had not associated with anyone from the east coast before. I was in my cubicle sorting out some clothes. There were about 6 or 7 guys at the end of the barracks playing cards. I didn't pay any mind to them but then I looked up and there was one of them standing there looking at me and he said, "hi I'm Bob Aucoin" and said to me in his Massacheusetts accent, " we are playing hots would you like to play" I had really no idea what he was talking about and I said "what", he said we are playing a caad game hots would you like to play. Then someone yelled, he means we are playing the card game hearts and your welcome to come down and play too. Well I shook his hand and walked down there and introduced myself and they did as well. I was stationed with Bob for the next number of months at the Naval Hospital. Bob was a good Corpman. but more importantly he took the time to realize I didn't know anyone and was courteous enough to come down and introduce himself. In short he had an awful lot of character. I have never forgot him and while visiting the Vietnam wall last January stood there and remembered this encounter with him. I must say tears welled up in my eyes. He gave his life for another just as he was trained to do but we lost a very special person that July day in 1968. I went to Vietnam the following November of 1969 but was fortunate enough to be able to return. As the years have gone by and I watched my children grow I often thought of this polite young man who was the first person I met at the Newport Naval Hospital and thought the world would have been a much brighter place had he lived. God bless you Robert J Aucoin and I hope you are winning some "hots" games in a better place.

Thank you for your devotion to our Country and to your Marines.