THE WALL OF FACES

SP5 Bradford M. Graham was a medic serving with the Headquarters & Headquarters Company (HHC), 31st Engineer Battalion, 159th Engineer Group, 20th Engineer Brigade, U.S. Army Republic of Vietnam Engineer Command. In August 1971, Graham was with the 60th Land Clearing Company as it began a cut in the Tan Uyen rocket belt north of Bien Hoa in Bien Hoa Province, RVN, to prevent the enemy from launching rockets at allied bases in the area. Land clearing was dangerous work for both the engineers and the infantrymen and medics on armored cavalry assault vehicles (ACAV’s) protecting them. On November 18, 1971, while at a work site thirteen kilometers (7.8 miles) southeast of Ga Trang Bom (on National Highway QL-1), a tree knocked over by a bulldozer struck the ACAV Graham was riding on. He sustained a severe head injury and was admitted to the 24th Evacuation Hospital at Long Binh where medical staff pronounced him dead. A subsequent autopsy showed Graham died of a basilar skull fracture with extensive injuries to the brain. He was twenty-one years old. His body was forwarded to the U.S. Army Mortuary at Tan Son Nhut Air Base and turned over to Graves Registration personnel. After processing, it was transported back to the U.S. for return to his family in Washington State. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and “Engineers at War” by Adrian G. Traas; obituary taken from the Mercer Island Reporter (Mercer Island, WA), November 25, 1971, courtesy of Mary Schaff, Washington State Library, Tumwater, WA]

Image courtesy of Redbird Research LLC, Saint Charles, MO.

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. We should be forever thankful for the sacrifices of you and so many others to ensure the freedoms we so often take for granted.

Specialist Five Bradford Mark Graham was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for Valor, with Combat Distinguishing Device (V), for his exemplary gallantry in action. He
served as a Medical NCO (Combat Medic) and was assigned to the 60TH ENG CO, 62ND ENG BN, 159TH ENG GROUP, 20TH ENG BDE, USARV ENG CMD.
See https://army.togetherweserved.com/army/servlet/tws.webapp.WebApp?cmd=ROHPage&personType=Fallen

Specialist Five Bradford Mark Graham, Served with the 60th Engineer Company, 62nd Engineer Battalion, 159th Engineer Group, 20th Engineer Brigade, United States Army Vietnam Engineer Command, United States Army Vietnam.