THE WALL OF FACES

Sergeant David Dee Gummere, Served with Company C, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, Third Marine Amphibious Force.

Operation Osage (April 27 – May 2, 1966) was a U.S. Marine Corps amphibious operation into the rice paddy region situated between Da Nang and Hue, RVN. The mission was to find, fix, and destroy a Viet Cong (VC) battalion and elements of a North Vietnamese Army (NVA) regiment reported to be operating in the area. No known contact was ever recorded with the targeted enemy units during the operation; however, on the morning of April 29th, Company C, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines took casualties from a small, unknown enemy unit employing sniper fire and rifle grenades near Hill 282 on Cape Chon May in Thua Thien Province, RVN. The company had just seized one objective and was preparing to assault its next target when it began receiving fire a little after noon. One Marine was wounded requiring an emergency evacuation. As C Company maneuvered towards the direction of fire, a mine was detonated. Six Marines and a Navy corpsman were killed; seven others were wounded. The lost Marines included PFC Loren E. Bradley, SGT David D. Gummere, PFC Harry D. Haskins, 1LT Lawrence D. Knuth, FSGT Louis J. Pellizzari, and PFC James C. Wiskur; the lost Navy aidman was HM2 Bob E. Pogre. Medivacs were called to the scene, and the casualties were removed. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and “Combat After Action Report for Operation Osage”]

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 sunlight 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.

May those who served never be forgotten. Rest in peace SGT. Gummere, I salute your brave soul. My heart goes out to you and your family. Semper Fidelis!

Dear Sgt David Gummere,
Thank you for your service as a Rifleman. 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.