THE WALL OF FACES

Sergeant Syriac Hebert Jr., Served with Battery B, 1st Battalion, 77th Artillery Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, United States Army Vietnam.

A butterfly lights beside us like a sunbeam
And for a brief moment its glory
and beauty belong to our world
But then it flies again
And though we wish it could have stayed...
We feel lucky to have seen it.

Thank you so much for your duties and service. You have done so much for our country. There is no way we could repay you besides, telling you how much it means to us that you put your life on the line for us. Rest in peace, your memory will not be forgotten.

Fire Support Base Illingworth was a U.S. Army firebase located twenty-one miles northwest of Tay Ninh, approximately three miles from the Cambodian border. On April 1, 1970, the base was occupied by Companies C and E, 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry; B Battery, 5th Battalion, 2nd Artillery; A Battery, 1st Battalion, 30th Artillery; A Battery, 2nd Battalion, 32nd Artillery; and B Battery, 1st Battalion, 77th Artillery, comprising roughly 220 men. Ground surveillance radar detected strong movement outside the perimeter right before midnight, and at approximately 2:17 AM the North Vietnamese Army began pounding the base with over 300 rounds of mixed 122mm and 107mm rockets, 120mm, 82mm, and 60mm mortars, and 75mm recoilless rifle and B-40 rocket-propelled grenade rounds. Illingworth was then assaulted by a force of over 400 troops from the southwest. The enemy was engaged with unit weapons, artillery, aerial rocket artillery, night-illuminated “Nighthawk” attack helicopter sorties, and other air support. Fighting was fierce, particularly on the southwest portion of the firebase where friendly forces engaged the enemy in hand-to-hand combat in order to repel the assault. During the attack, an ammunition dump containing over 190 rounds of 8” ammunition exploded in a tremendous blast, destroying an 8” artillery gun and damaging radio antennas, rendering a temporary loss of communication. At 3:30 AM, the base was still receiving mortar and rocket fire although the ground attack had been broken. All incoming fire ceased at 4:30 AM, and search operations began. The attack resulted in twenty-five U.S. killed and fifty-eight wounded. The lost Americans included CPL Bobby L. Barker, PFC Thomas R. Bowen, CPT Cleaveland F. Bridgman, CPL Billy P. Carlisle, SSG Benjamin V. Childress Jr., SGT David G. Dragosavac, CPL Leroy J. Fasching, SGT Syriac Hebert Jr., SGT Robert A. Hill, SGT Kenneth R. Hodge, SGT Robert H. Lane Jr., SP4 David H. Lassen, CPL Nathan J. Mann, PFC Roger J. McInerny Jr., SP4 Thomas J. Murphy, CPL Michael R. Patterson, SGT Sidney E. Plattenburger, SGT Gerald W. Purdon, SP4 Terry L. Schell, CPL Klaus D. Schlieben, CPL John L. Smith, SGT Brent A. Street, SSG Lawrence E. Sutton, SGT Casey O. Waller, and SSG Steven J. Williams. Sixty-five NVA were killed and numerous weapons and equipment were captured. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and “Operational Report, Lessons Learned 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) for the Period Ending 30 April 1970” at ttu.edu]

Dear Sgt Syriac Hebert,
Thank you for your service as a Field Artillery Basic with the 1st Cavalry. It's the 44th anniversary of the Fall of Saigon, sad. 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.