THE WALL OF FACES

LCPL George M. Couch and PFC Clifford M. Gibson were riflemen assigned to F Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines. On August 16, 1969, they were on a search and clear patrol in the vicinity of Phu Loc Six, Quang Nam Province, RVN, when they came under hostile small arms fire. PFC Gibson was fatally wounded in the attack. LCPL Couch was wounded in the neck. The injury rendered him paralyzed, unable to use either his arms or legs. He was medically evacuated to the United States where he spent about a year in a Memphis, Tennessee veterans hospital. After being released, he returned to his parents’ new home which had been especially built with ramps instead of stairs to accommodate his electric wheelchair. On September 8, 1973, four years after being wounded, he died at his home in Morristown, TN. He was 23 years-old. In November 1984, his name was added to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and the September 9, 1973 edition of the Daily Gazette-Mail, Morristown, TN]

Dear PFC Clifford Michael Gibson, 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

Clifford is buried at Brush Creek Cemetery, Irwin,PA.

He loved us so.
Every day, in a hundred ways, he told us so.
In honesty, in affection, he told us so.
He loved us so.
Every day, in a hundred ways, he showed us so.
With loyalty and bravery, he showed us so.
He was our defender, and he kept us free!
He took an oath to guard us, and fought for liberty!
He loved us so, and we should know.
For we loved him so.
PFC Gibson, you have done your country very proud, but you lost your life in the defense of liberty, of our country. I am free to listen to music on my CDs without fear or trepidation, because of your service to our land. I can listen to Avonmore's own Jill Corey, England's Julie Andrews, and England's Dusty Springfield, for all three named above are my three top favorite songbirds.
Well done, Cliff. Be thou at peace! SEMPER FI!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Semper Fi, Marine.