THE WALL OF FACES

Dear CPL John Dean Hall, sir

As an American, I would like to thank you for your service and for your sacrifice made on behalf of our wonderful country. The youth of today could gain much by learning of heroes such as yourself, men and women whose courage and heart can never be questioned.

May God allow you to read this, and may He allow me to someday shake your hand when I get to Heaven to personally thank you. May he also allow my father to find you and shake your hand now to say thank you; for America, and for those who love you.

With respect, and the best salute a civilian can muster for you, Sir

Curt Carter

I was an M60 gunner on the back of the track he drove. Our recon unit was 25th ID,2/34th Armor, Recon Plt) . We were in a major battle just outside Cu Chi. Our recon unit (about 10 M113A1 tracks) drove through some tall elephant grass. We'd hardly entered into the grass when our track was hit by an RPG. John Hall was killed instantly. The track caught fire and the other M60 gunner (PFC Coon) managed to put it out. An NVA came up to my side of the track and raked us over at point blank range. M60 was in a gun shield and wouldn't angle down enough to get him. Our TC (Track Commander) tossed a grenade and killed the NVA. Meanwhile the grass was on fire and most of the tracks managed to back out. PFC Coon, disregarding enemy fire, hooked up a tow cable to our track and ran outside to attached to another track. We were then towed out.

Since our track was destroyed our crew, the TC and PFC Coon, were reassigned to other tracks. I drove a track for a different unit altogether, probably 1/5 Mech. While on an online assault against bunkers on Feb 29th I drove over an old rice paddy dike. My track was hit on the undersides by 2 RPG's. I managed to get out and, well, that was the end of the war for me.

Dear John, to honor your memory and the sacrifice you made for our country I want to make sure your photo will be displayed on your birthday each and every year when the Education Center is completed, so it is with great pride and humility that I post this remembrance and picture of you. You are not forgotten and remain in the hearts of many all these years later. You have been designated to be one of God's special angels, along with the love of my life, who also sacrificed his life during this war 45 years ago. God Bless You, John, for being who you were and for all you did--we live in freedom to this day thanks to heroes like you.

John is buried at Hillcrest Memorial Park in Palm Beach, FL.

I helped pull his body out of the track. He was killed instantly by an RPG while driving through tall elephant grass. Our TC was SGT Underwood, KIA on Apr 9th,68. I was badly wounded (RPG) Feb 29th,68 while driving another track.