THE WALL OF FACES

TECHNICAL SERGEANT


RICHARD BERNARD FITZGIBBON JR.


served in the


UNITED STATES AIR FORCE


and was the father of


LANCE CORPORAL


RICHARD BERNARD FITZGIBBON III


who served with the


UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *



HE WAS MURDERED BY A FELLOW AIRMAN

IN SOUTH VIETNAM ON 8 JUNE 1956

AND HAS NOW BEEN FORMALLY RECOGNIZED

BY THE PENTAGON AS THE VERY FIRST

AMERICAN CASUALTY OF SOUTHEAST ASIA.


WITH THIS DECISION

THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

ANNOUNCED THAT

1 NOVEMBER 1955

WOULD NOW BE THE EARLIEST

QUALIFYING DATE FOR INCLUSION ON

THE VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL

AND STATED THAT THIS IS THE DATE

THE MAAG WAS OFFICIALLY ESTABLISHED.

NOW, EIGHT OTHER PRE-1961 CASUALTIES

ARE ALREADY INCLUDED ON THE MEMORIAL.

ACTUALLY, THE FIRST DEATH OF AN

AMERICAN SERVICEMAN IN VIETNAM

OCCURRED ON 26 SEPTEMBER 1945.

MAJOR

PETER A. DEWEY

AN OFFICER ATTACHED TO THE

OFFICE OF STRATEGIC SERVICE (OSS)

WAS KILLED-IN-ACTION BY THE

COMMUNIST VIET MINH NEAR HANOI.

SOME 128 MEMBERS OF MAAG BEGAN

SUPERVISING THE USE OF UNITED STATES

EQUIPMENT IN VIETNAM ON

17 SEPTEMBER 1950.

LATER, TWO AMERICAN PILOTS,

WHO WERE CONTRACTED TO THE

CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY

WERE KILLED-IN-ACTION FLYING

A MISSION OVER DIEN BIEN PHU IN 1954.

THE FIRST UNITED STATES ADVISORS

SENT TO ACTUALLY BEGIN TRAINING

SOUTH VIETNAMESE TROOPS ARRIVED

12 FEBRUARY 1955.

ON 21 OCTOBER 1957

CAPTAIN

HARRY GRIFFITH CRAMER JR

UNITED STATES ARMY

WAS KILLED IN A

MUNITIONS HANDLING ACCIDENT

THEREFORE, HIS NAME HAD BEEN

THE FIRST LISTED ON ' THE WALL '.

THE FITZGIBBONS NOW BECOME

THE ONLY FATHER-AND-SON

HONOREES TO BE LISTED ON

THE VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL.

ON 30 MAY 1999

- MEMORIAL DAY -

THE NAME OF

TECHNICAL SERGEANT

RICHARD BERNARD FITZGIBBON JR.

UNITED STATES AIR FORCE

WAS FINALLY ADDED TO

THE VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL

BRINGING THE NUMBER TOTAL OF

MEMORIALIZED NAMES TO-DATE AS

58214




WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE

YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN

NOR SHALL YOU EVER BE



^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^


NO ONE IS EVER DEAD UNTIL AND UNLESS THEY ARE FORGOTTEN


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^



LANCE CORPORAL


RICHARD BERNARD FITZGIBBON III


WAS LAID TO REST BESIDE HIS

FATHER IN BLUE HILLS CEMETERY.


LIKE HIS FATHER BEFORE HIM,

HE WAS BURIED WITH FULL

MILITARY HONORS.


A SQUAD OF MARINES

ESCORTED THE FLAG-DRAPED

CASKET TO THE CEMETERY.


A MILITARY SALUTE WAS FIRED

AND TAPS WAS SOUNDED.


AGAIN, AS IN 1956, WHEN

HER HUSBAND WAS BURIED,

MRS. FITZGIBBON WAS

PRESENTED THE FOLDED FLAG,

WHICH HAD DRAPED THE

CASKET, THIS TIME FOR THE

WIDOW'S SON





14 SEPTEMBER 2001

Do not stand at my grave and weep.
I am not there; I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow,
I am the diamond glints on snow,
I am the sun on ripened grain,
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning's hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there; I did not die.

Mary Frye – 1932

"An God said who shall we send. I answered I am here,send me."

Isaiah 6:8

Although we never met personally, I want to thank you Richard Bernard Fitzgibbon, Jr., for your courageous and valiant service, years of faithfully contributing, and most holy sacrifice, given to this great country of ours!

Your Spirit is alive--and strong, therefore, you shall never be forgotten, nor has your death been in vain!

Again, thank you TSGT Fitzgibbon, for a job well done!

REST IN ETERNAL PEACE MY FRIEND