THE WALL OF FACES

Specialist Four Gregory Joseph Gee, Served with Company D, 6th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 9th Infantry Division, United States Army Vietnam.

Specialist Four Gregory Joseph Gee, Served with Company D, 6th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 9th Infantry Division, Third Marine Amphibious Force.

Thank you for your service and your sacrifice. Thank you for stepping up and answering your country's call. Rest easy knowing you will never be forgotten.

Dear SP4 Gregory Joseph Gee, sir

As an American, I would like to thank you for your service and for your sacrifice made on behalf of our wonderful country. The youth of today could gain much by learning of heroes such as yourself, men and women whose courage and heart can never be questioned.

May God allow you to read this, and may He allow me to someday shake your hand when I get to Heaven to personally thank you. May he also allow my father to find you and shake your hand now to say thank you; for America, and for those who love you.

With respect, and the best salute a civilian can muster for you, Sir

Curt Carter

Photo Credit and Comments by Randoph S. Sprinkles, Lt.

I was the brand spanking new LT (just in country and out of the little indoctrination program from the 3rd Brigade, 9th Inf Div at Dong Tam) given command of the 2nd Platoon of Delta Co. about a week before his death. I had a little time (4-5 days of stand down) to get to know the 20 or so fellows in the platoon before we went out into the field.

It was when we air lifted out of Dong Tam (on 81669) about 2 clicks to the east of the perimeter and set down in some rice paddies, that Gee started to come to my attention. Being the new guy on the block probably showed, and he took a little time to 'clue' me in on some of the nuances of that particular Area of Operation and BattalionCompanyand Platoon SOPs.

We spent the night primarily watching for rockets being fired into Dong Tam for triangulation purposes. The next day (81769), the platoon was ordered to enter the heavily booby-trapped jungle that bordered the Eastern side of the Dong Tam perimeter and to sweep it to the North.

In that wood line, we lost half the platoon to booby traps and Gee took shrapnel in his heart. It must have taken 40 minutes to get a medevac chopper low enough to sling Gee out of there and it was the longest 40 minutes of my life. I like to believe that he was still alive when we put him on the chopper. The medic and I worked on him with artificial respiration and heart massage for the whole time.

I took his death very personally. He was the first man to die under my command and he had displayed all the hallmarks of what makes Americans into fine soldiers. I came to like and trust him as he helped me get my feet on the ground on that first day. And he never shirked his duty (or even blinked an eye) when I asked him to walk point that day through a wood line that he knew was heavily booby-trapped.

I will carry his courageous memory with me to my grave.

Randoph S. Sprinkles, Lt.

Platoon Leader of 2nd Platoon, Delta Co., 631 Inf.

Rest in peace with the warriors.