THE WALL OF FACES

"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

Lance Corporal Edgar Acunia, Served with Company A, 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, Third Marine Amphibious Force.

LCPL Edgar Acunia was a rifleman serving with A Company, 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, 3rd Marine Division. On March 6, 1969, LCPL Acunia was in a night ambush position with members of his unit near Ca Lu, three miles northeast FSB Russell in Quang Tri Province, RVN. While Acunia was checking the assault lines, he was fired at by another Marine with an M16 rifle on full-automatic. Acunia was killed after being hit in the chest, face, left leg, and back. His body was removed to Graves Registration at Third Medical Battalion, then later transferred to the U.S. Army mortuary at Da Nang. An investigation into the killing took place afterwards. It was unclear whether the shooter had challenged Acunia before he opened fire. The incident was later coded an accidental homicide. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org]

DEAR LANCE CORPORAL ACUNIA,

MAY YOU REST IN PEACE IN THE ARMS OF THE ANGELS. YOU HAVE EARNED YOUR REWARD IN PARADISE.

SEMPER FI.

Lance Corporal Edgar Acunia, Served with Company A, 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, Third Marine Amphibious Force.