THE WALL OF FACES

Private First Class Bertrand Ronald Gagne, Served with Company C, 1st Battalion, 82nd Artillery Regiment, Americal Division, United States Army Vietnam.

Landing Zone (LZ) Debbie was an Americal Division fire support base located on a hill approximately nine kilometers (5.4 miles) southeast of Duc Pho Airfield in Quang Ngia Province, RVN. Only three kilometers (1.8 miles) from the shores of the South China Sea, the base had a spectacular view of the seashore and overlooked an agricultural producing region known as “The Rice Bowl.” During the summer of 1969, infantrymen from C Company, 4th Battalion, 21st Infantry, 11th Infantry Brigade were tasked with the security of Debbie. On the early morning of August 22nd, Debbie received an attack by an enemy force tossing hand grenades and satchel charges and firing rocket-propelled grenades (RPG’s) and small arms. During the 2:00 AM attack, sappers were able to penetrate the perimeter, at least two of which were engaged and killed by the defending Americans. The enemy action caused the 81mm mortar dump to catch fire and RPG’s hit three bunkers, destroying one and damaging the other two. Four U.S. were killed in the fighting and sixteen were wounded, fourteen of which required medical evacuation. The lost personnel included (from C-4/21) infantrymen PFC Anthony B. Blair, PFC Anthony V. Mione, and PFC Eric D. Saltz; and (from C Co, 1st Bn, 82nd Arty) artilleryman PFC Bertrand R. Gagne. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and “Significant Events (III MAF), August 1969” at ttu.edu]

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…..

My father has the exact same name as him. I would like to know more about this BRG. My father recently passed away.

Dear PFC Bertrand Ronald Gagne, this is your great nephew.

I would like to thank you for your service in the Vietnam War. I wish I met you, I will miss you. I salute you.

Nolan G