THE WALL OF FACES

Do not stand at my grave and weep
I am not there. I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning's hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry;
I am not there. I did not die.

Dear SSGT Sterling Hill, Thank you for your service as a Combat Engineer. It was just the 75th anniversary of D-Day, and we should remember all of you who served. Watch over the USA, it still needs your courage. Rest in peace with the angels.

Landing Zone Brillo Pad (also known as FSB Brillo Pad) was a U.S. Army base west of Kontum in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. On May 26, 1968, Brillo Pad was hit by North Vietnamese Army mortar and rocket fire, reportedly receiving in excess of 250 rounds of 60mm, 82mm, and 120mm mortar, and 75mm recoilless rifle fire. Two Americans were killed in the barrage: PFC Nilon K. Bacon, an artilleryman from B Battery, 6th Battalion, 29th Artillery; and SSG Sterling H. Hill, a combat engineer from B Company, 4th Engineer Battalion, 4th Infantry Division. Hill died after he was evacuated. Another 23 U.S. were wounded. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org]

I WAS 5 YEARS OLD WHEN MY DAD DIED IN VIETNAM. IT HAS BEEN 50 YEARS THIS VERY WEEKEND OF HIM BEING GONE AN NOT A DAY GOES BY THAT I DONT THINK ABOUT HIM. I REALLY MISS HIM. I AM SO PROUD THAT MY FATHER SERVED HIS COUNTRY THAT MY SISTER, BROTHER AND I FOLLOWED IN HIS FOOT STEP OF SERVING OUR COUNTRY. I THINK THAT HE WOULD BE VERY PROUD OF HIS 4 CHILDREN.

I don't know how to leave this message other than to say this man, this soldier I remember as if May 1968 was yesterday. He was my Platoon Sergeant, he just having arrived in Vietnam and I was being reassigned to his platoon. We both departed Camp Enari for our unit, Company B 4th Engineer Battalion, which was divided between Landing Zones (LZ) Brillo Pad and LZ Alamo. The military objective was to take OP Hill supporting the Infantry. As we departed Camp Enari, I recall it taking us two days to get to our LZs as we would catch a ride on a Huey (Helpicopter) to it's desttination, get off and wait on another Huey running a resupply mission in our units direction. Don't recall how many Huey rides it took us but I do recall SSG Hill and I sitting on several helicopter pads and talking to pass the waiting time. We talked about our families most. SSG Hill was our new Platoon Sergeant so I was the first member of his platoon that he met. When we got to one of the LZs, I don't remember which one, he went about meeting his team. I spend two nights on that LZ and the Platoon Leader, whose name I do not recall, decided I should go over to the other LZ for engineer support. I never got another opportunity to talk to him again.