THE WALL OF FACES

40 years have come and gone since you were taken, Oh Love, we were so young. Our love grows always within my heart through Cinnamon.

I would like to thank you and all of those who gave their lives for our country in this troubled time. I am too young to have been here for this conflict but I feel the need to honor the men who gave their lives for this country. All my love and gratitude go out to the fallen and to the survivors. Thankyou!

I remember Tom very well. I was there the day he was killed. We were taking turns walking point with a mine detector because the area we were in had so many mines. I had complained to the skipper, and was replaced by Tom just moments before he and the first squad walked into a command detonated explosive devise that took his life. I have thought of that moment many times over the years. At 19, I felt numb to the whole thing. As time went on however, I felt as if I played a part in his death. Tom and I had so much in common. We were both 19, newly married, and expecting our first children. I will never forget him.
Added Feb 12,2002. I had the honor of being a name reader at the 20th anniversary of "The Wall" and I read Tom's name.

In Memory Of
PFC. Terry Cleveland Smith
PFC. Nathaniel Willingham
LCPL. Thomas Carmen Henry
KIA March 29, 1968

On March 29, 1968, Mike Company crossed a small river in Thua Thien Province while on patrol. Normally, the first thing I do is go to the nearest water hole if I know one is around. I remember I was so tired that I jusp plopped down. I heard a loud explosion just a few yards from where I was just a couple of minutes afterwards. It was a command detonated claymore aimed near the watrer spring. It came from a gook in the hill overlooking the water.
One of the closest friends I had at that time was Terry Smith from North Carolina. He had just taken two pictures just a couple of minutes before he went to the water hole with some other guys. The claymore killed 3 and wounded 3.
It took me a bunch of days to get over what I saw at that water hole. I will never forget. It's the first memory that I have when I look at the two pictures that he took just before it happened.