THE WALL OF FACES

Dear PFC Donald Owen Hartman, 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, Sir

Curt Carter

I knew Don from our grade school years at McCoy. We were both into sports and girls. Don was always easy to be with. Our friendship faded at Truman HS but everyone knew he was a rising basketball star.
In May of '68 the draft swept me into the Army, into Vietnam and into chopper assaults with the 101st Airborne Div., 2/327th Infantry. Our company was in the field securing some remote firebase as I recall, and one particular morning I was assigned to walk security with engineers doing a mine sweep of the road. From out of the open tail of a deuce truck I heard a familiar voice calling out to me. It was Bob Rupe, a well known Trumanite from Independence, our home town. That was when he told me that Don had gone down in a firefight earlier in the week. I'll not forget that moment or these two brothers. It was an honor to know you.

.

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On this date in 1969, Kansas City lost Three young men. PFC. Hartmann, Pfc. Long and PFC. Miller.