THE WALL OF FACES

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. Your Distinguished Service Cross citation attests to your courage and devotion to your fellow soldiers. As long as you are remembered you will always be with us….

Pat and I were classmates, medical fraternity brothers and he was my lab partner in anatomy, biochemistry and physiology labs (1963-64). We drank beer and listened to Bob Dylan records together. For that year we were close but medical school was not for Pat. I received a few letters from him when he was in helicopter training. We learned of his death on the day of his funeral. His laugh and occasional devil-may-care demeanor remain in my memory. He will be forever young.

On April 18, 1967, a U.S. Army helicopter UH-1C (tail number 66-15048) from A Troop, 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division, was conducting a reconnaissance by fire near An Loc in Binh Dinh Province, RVN, when the helicopter was hit by enemy ground fire and crashed with the loss of all aboard. Reportedly, the helicopter was in a flight of several aircraft and the door gunner, SP4 Vernice Hollingsworth, was using his M60 machine gun’s tracers to show the location of enemy anti-aircraft placements. The flight was in close formation, side by side, when a single round was observed to come up and hit Hollingsworth’s helicopter in the nose area. A radio transmission suddenly came over the intercom reporting a fire as flames were observed raging within the aircraft’s cabin area. The stricken helicopter rolled a couple of times, then rocked back and forth before nosing into the jungle below. The flight circled over the crash site, but no survivors were sighted. The lost crew included pilots MAJ Thomas D. Mendenhall and CPT Patrick L. Haley, crew chief SP4 Ronald D. Bruce, and gunner Hollingsworth. Also lost was 1LT Robert J. Crabbe, a 1st Cavalry Division artillery officer. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org, vhpa.org, and information provided by Craig Matlock in the book “Headhunters: Stories from the 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry, in Vietnam 1965-1971” by Matthew Brennan]

Thank you for your service and your sacrifice. Thank you for stepping up and answering your country's call. Rest easy knowing you will never be forgotten.

Patrick Lawrence Haley

Distinguished Service Cross

AWARDED FOR ACTIONS
DURING Vietnam War
Service: Army
Rank: Captain
Division: 1st Cavalry Division
GENERAL ORDERS:
Headquarters, U.S. Army, Vietnam, General Orders No. 2282 (May 21, 1967)
CITATION:
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918 (amended by act of July 25, 1963), takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Captain (Armor), [then First Lieutenant] Patrick Lawrence Haley (ASN: 0-5531115), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam, while serving with Troop A, 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division. Captain Haley distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 2 October 1966 while serving as pilot of an armed command helicopter during an aerial attack on Viet Cong forces escaping the Ngot Bay area. Completely disregarding intense hostile fire, Captain Haley flew for one hour at very low altitudes in an attempt to locate and fix hostile targets. He dauntlessly remained at the most critical points of combat, never permitting the enemy to pin down friendly ground elements. When a friendly squad received intense Viet Cong fire and refused to retreat because of a casualty lying in an exposed position, Captain Hale unhesitatingly flew between the opposing forces to divert the hostile barrage. Although his ammunition was expended, he persuaded the friendly element to withdraw, then landed and picked up the wounded man. His helicopter was severely damaged by enemy fire while on the ground, but he was able to fly the casualty 150 meters to a safe zone. His heroic actions were highly instrumental in killing 320 Viet Cong and the saving of many American lives. Captain Haley's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.