THE WALL OF FACES

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. The remembrance from Joe Micucci is especially poignant. As long as you are remembered you will always be with us...

Didn't know what happened to you just knew you were KIA...CALLED YOU BEE AND didn't remember last name,R.I.P...You enlisted 6 days before me...

Robert (Bobby) Higbee was my next door neighbour on Old Lane St, Drexel Hill, PA. He was a month younger than me. I remember him very well as we both grew up. He loved butter and sugar sandwiches on white bread and would often invite me when his parents were gone. He would play with his soldiers in the back yard while we passed the time in conversation. I was to serve as well in the USAF and spent some time in Vietnam. Thank you Bobby for all you've done for your country. You are not forgotten. Peace.

Dear Lcpl Robert Higbee, Thank you for your service as a Rifleman. Memorial Day just passed when we honor you all. Please watch over the USA. It stills needs your courage. Rest in peace with the angels.

At about 1100 hours on August 10, 1966, during Operation Colorado, the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, made contact with elements of two NVA battalions in the vicinity of Cam Khe hamlets (1) and (2) on Route 586, 5 miles west of Tam Ky in Quang Tin Province, RVN. The initial contact developed into a full-fledged battle fought in a driving rainstorm which did not clear until about 1730 hours. Although Marine Observation Squadron 6 (VMO-6) provided armed helicopter gunship support, and both shore-based artillery and naval gunfire supported the Marines, fixed-wing aircraft were unable to operate in the area until the rainstorm broke. The 1/5 Marines suffered 14 men killed in action with another 65 wounded, but killed more than 100 NVA troops before the battle ended on the morning of August 11th. Three Navy corpsmen were among the dead, including HN Lawrence T. Steiner, HM3 James T. Elrod, and HM3 Walter P. Jackson. SSGT Robert T. Walsh, a gunner on a medevac helicopter from Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 361 (HMH-361), was also killed after suffering gunshot wounds to the chest during a medical evacuation. The lost 1/5 Marines included SGT Ernest B. Amador, LCPL Richard P. Donathan, PFC David L. Faught, CPL Douglas B. Haddix, LCPL Robert D. Higbee, LCPL Gregory M. Howard, PFC Lawrence J. Kindred, PFC Melvin Rolle, PVT Richard A. Skinner, SGT John D. Smith, PFC Paul E. Sudsbury, PFC Kenneth E. Tasker, PFC Everette A. Thompson, and LCPL Richard W. Williamson. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and thevirtualwall.org]