THE WALL OF FACES

Private First Class Lester Freeman, Served with Company A, 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, United States Army Vietnam.

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. As long as you are remembered you will remain in our hearts forever…..

Never forgotten.

HOOAH

You will forever remain in our hearts and prayers

On February 15, 1968, a convoy containing Engineers from the 65th and 588th Engineer Battalions were enroute to Thien Ngon Airfield in Tay Ninh Province, RVN, with a security escort provided by a platoon from A Company, 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry (Mechanized), when they were ambushed by an estimated Viet Cong company. The 8:25 AM attack occurred less than two miles from the airfield when the VC fired automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenades at the convoy. Two M41 Walker Bulldog tanks escorting the convoy came under heavy rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) fire. The lead tank commander, SSG Spencer Adams, and crew members SP4 Donald M. Dale, 1LT James M. Hill, and SP4 Rex F. Tutor were killed instantly. Infantrymen riding in a M35 2½-ton cargo truck immediately engaged the enemy, but the entire convoy was ambushed. Intense enemy RPG, mortar, and heavy machine gun fire engulfed the besieged convoy. The second M41 tank was able to engage the enemy’s right flank. Air and fire support were immediately requested, with artillery support provided by FSB Lily. Engineers from B Company, 588th Engineer Support Battalion, which were on the left rear flank of the convoy, moved into an aggressive defensive firing position until fire and air support appeared on station. The artillery and air support caused the enemy to disengage but not before they destroyed eight vehicles and one tank and killed ten Americans and wounded thirteen others. Apart from the lost M41 tank crewmen, the other slain U.S. personnel included (from A Co 2/22): SSG James T. Davis, PFC Lester Freeman, PFC Clyde R. McAfee, and PFC Mural McDaniel; (from the 588th Eng Bn): SP5 Kenneth L. Fulton and SP5 Bruce A. Nelson. Enemy losses were unknown. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and Combat After Action Report for Operation Yellowstone, Headquarters, 25th Infantry Division, April 3, 1968]