THE WALL OF FACES

Dear James, I would like to thank you for what you did. You sacrificed yourself, but you also did it for your country. You were a really brave gentlemen doing the best you could. I know a handful of people wished they could see you one more time and also meet you. I'm thanking you for the service, and for not giving up no matter how hard it has gotten. You will forever be missed by many!

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. The remembrance from Rodney Young is touching. As long as you are remembered you will always be with us….

Specialist Five James Rayford Gohagin, Served with Battery C, 2nd Battalion, 319th Artillery Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, United States Army Vietnam.

Fire Support Base Airborne was a U.S. Army firebase located west of Hue overlooking the A Shau Valley in central Vietnam. The base was occupied by elements of the 2nd Battalion, 501st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion, 11th Artillery, and 2nd Battalion, 319th Artillery when it was attacked at 3:30 AM on May 13, 1969, by about 110 members of the North Vietnamese Army’s 6th Regiment and K-12 Sapper Battalion. Wearing loin cloths or shorts and equipped with AK-47s with folding stocks, the advance party slipped through the barbed wire, neutralized the trip flares, and dashed inside throwing explosives. The enemy then assaulted the firebase on two sides with infantrymen and sappers rushing the perimeter. Heavy rocket-propelled grenade and mortar fire supported the attack. Allied artillery from nearby fire bases responded within five minutes, silencing the mortar positions. An AC-47 Spooky gunship arrived within one hour of request. By 5:30 AM, the battle was over with twenty-seven U.S. losses. They included SP4 Carl F. Arbogast Jr., PFC Odell D. Beasley, SGT Oscar D. Boydston, CPL Edward A. Clarke, SP4 Donald J. Corbett, SSG Kenneth T. Cruise Jr., CPT Moulton L. Freeman, SP5 James R. Gohagin, CPL Ernest L. Gordon, James C. Harper Jr., PFC Cleabern W. Hill Jr., SP4 Eric B Johnson, SP4 Richard R. Kelley, SGT Bobby G. Lawrence, CPL Robert R. Malecki, SP4 Arlen J. Miller, PFC Warren P. Nix, PFC William D. Poole Jr., SP4 Roger D. Ross, CPL Thomas W. Sadler, 2LT Bruce Saunders, CPL William F. Silver Jr., SGT Francis L. Souza, SP4 Ira J. Sturgeon, PFC Lynn C. Swanson, SP4 Samuel C. Tharpe, and PFC James M. Thompson. Forty NVA were reportedly killed. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org, wikipedia.org, and PFC Odell D. Beasley’s Bronze Star citation]

Dear Sp5 James Gohagin,
Thank you for your service as a Cannon Fire Direct Specialist. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. It has been too long, and it's about time for us all to acknowledge the sacrifices of those like you who answered our nation's call. Please watch over America, it stills needs your strength, courage and faithfulness. Rest in peace with the angels.