THE WALL OF FACES

Your sacrifice is not forgotten.

HOOAH

Your sacrifice is not forgotten.

HOOAH

During the early morning of November 4, 1967, elements of Second Platoon, A Company, 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division were conducting night ambush patrols southwest of Tam Quan in Binh Dinh Province, RVN. The 1/8 Cav Daily Staff Journal (DSJ) from that date reported at 5:15 AM one of the ambush groups (Element 25) receiving fragmentation grenades in its night defensive position thrown from the east, killing three enlisted men: PFC Robert A. Albertson, PFC Jimmy R. Baggarly, and PFC David M. Herendon. The DSJ account has been contested, however, by a former 1/8 infantryman who was with Element 25 that night. He recalled that First and Second Squads [forming Element 25] proceeded to an ambush position where a rice field ended and a cane field began. It was at the intersection of two dykes in an open field. This position placed them near another ambush patrol, Element 23. The new Sergeant in charge of Element 23 element was quoted as saying he saw one of the new guys stand up in the dark after he thought an enemy combatant had snuck up on him. It scared the man, and he threw a grenade and opened fire, killing Albertson, Baggarly, and Herendon. The three lost enlisted men were also new to the field, each with barely a month or less time in-country. The incident was not reported in subsequent DSJ accounts no doubt due to the embarrassment occasioned by such a friendly fire incident. [Taken from vnwarstories.com and “Lord, Send An Earthquake!” by Richard Flanders]

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. May you rest in eternal peace.

Remember the day you left us and will not for get you RIP