THE WALL OF FACES

Specialist Five Henry Wilburn Hartman, Served with the 1st Platoon, Company B, 1st Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, United States Army Vietnam.

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. We should be forever thankful for the sacrifices of you and so many others to ensure the freedoms we so often take for granted.

Never forgotten.

HOOAH

On January 30, 1968, the Tet Offensive was launched by forces of the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army against the forces of the South Vietnamese Army of the Republic of Vietnam, the United States Armed Forces, and their allies. The U.S. Army’s 4th Infantry Division was then stationed in Kontum and Pleiku Provinces in the Central Highlands. The Division lost ten men as a result of the first day's fighting. SP5 Henry W. Hartman, an armor crewman assigned to 1st Platoon, B Company, 1st Battalion, 69th Armor, was the only combat fatality of his company, one of three from his battalion. SP5 Hartman was wounded while riding as a passenger on a tank during a search and destroy mission. The tank was hit by mortar and rocket fire on January 31, 1968. He was medevacked in critical condition to the 71st Evacuation Hospital in Pleiku. He arrived in a coma and was suffering from burns and wounds over 80% of his body. Hartman was missing his dog tags and did not have an ID card. He never regained consciousness and died three hours after arrival from pulmonary edema secondary to his wounds. It took over two weeks to get a positive identification of his remains due to the situation and confusion in Vietnam. His family was not notified until 18 days after his death. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and veteransmemorial.us]

Dear Sp5 Henry Hartman,
Thank you for your service as an Armor Crewman. Today is your 90th birthday, happy birthday. Today is Palm Sunday. The war was years ago, but we all need 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.