THE WALL OF FACES

PFC Gerald Thomas Gindlesberger is buried in Darmstadt, Germany. He was survived by his wife and stepson.

You are not forgotten.

Chu Lai Base Area was a U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Army, and Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) base in Chu Lai in Quang Tin Province, RVN. The installation included Ky Ha Air Facility located in the northern half and Chu Lai Air Base situated to the south-east. The base was on the Ky Ha peninsula north of National Route QL-1, approximately 60 kilometres (37 miles) southeast of Da Nang. The 23rd Infantry Division (Americal) maintained its divisional headquarters at Chu Lai. At approximately 1:30 AM on the morning of May 2, 1971, a guard at the Americal Headquarters & Headquarters Company (HHC) motor pool noticed an individual attempting to enter the area by crawling through the perimeter wire. The guard called “Halt” but was ignored by the intruder who continued moving through the wire. A warning shot was fired but the man continued to crawl. The guard called out “Halt” two more times which again was ignored. The guard then engaged the individual with three rounds from his M16 rifle. The wounded man was medivacked to the 91st Evacuation Hospital where he died at 2:38 AM. His identity was PFC Gerald T. Gindlesberger, an Americal HHC communications man. Why he was attempting to enter the base in that location at that hour was uncertain. The Army’s Criminal Investigation Division opened an investigation into the incident; however, it is unclear what outcome it produced as the Army generally provides very little details regarding such cases. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org]

A butterfly lights beside us like a sunbeam
And for a brief moment its glory
and beauty belong to our world
But then it flies again
And though we wish it could have stayed...
We feel lucky to have seen it.

I went to high school with Gerald. He was a good guy. I didn't know he was killed till I returned home myself in 1971.

Private First Class Gerald Thomas Gindlesberger, Served with the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Americal Division, United States Army Vietnam.