THE WALL OF FACES

We served and spent many hours together. If I had been available and at the dump you would not have been on that mule. I will never forget you and will carry you in my heart forever. Until we meet again brother.

The Third Marine Amphibious Force’s (III MAF) logistic supply and support system was located two miles southwest of Da Nang Airbase in Quang Province, RVN. At approximately 10:45 AM on April 27, 1969, sparks from a fire at a Vietnamese civilian trash dump blew across the road and ignited dry grass near the III MAF’s Ammo Supply Point-1. The fire spread to a storage area for unserviceable ammunition igniting some of the munitions. That fire spread to the two main ground and air ammunition storage areas and nearby fuel storage area, resulting in a massive fire with explosions until midnight when the blaze was brought under control. Two of the explosions were far greater than the rest, producing fireballs similar to small nuclear explosions, complete with shock waves moving out in a circular pattern through the smoke and haze. In all, over 39,000 tons of ammunition were destroyed. Several buildings and three bulk fuel tanks collapsed from blast overpressure. U.S. casualties were one killed and fourteen injured. The lost American died after being hit by falling debris launched skyward by the explosions. The following day, Ammunition Company personnel began clearing unexploded ordnance. The 1st Force Service Regiment command estimated clearance operations could last from three to nine months. During the initial chaos of the salvage operation, an ammunition technician from Ammunition Supply Point #2 assisting in the clearance process, LCPL Edwin E. Hoffman, was fatally injured in a vehicle accident. After a long, exhausting day, the M274 “Mule” ½-ton 4×4 utility platform truck went out of control and crashed. Hoffman died after sustaining a concussion, broken neck, and crush injuries to the chest. His body was transported to the Marine’s 1st Medical Battalion at Da Nang before transfer to the nearby U.S. Army Mortuary for processing and return to the U.S. for burial at Arlington National Cemetery. Hoffman was 20 years old. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and “Headquarters and Service Battalion, 1st Force Service Regiment I Force Logistic, Command Fleet Marine Force, Pacific, Command Chronology for period 1 April 1969 to 30 April 1969” at ttu.edu]

I see a young man on here who died about the same time you did. I know it has been a while since the last time I was on here to leave you a remembrance. still miss you.

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.

Dear Lcpl Edwin Hoffman, Thank you for your service as an Ammunition Technician. Happy Summer in heaven! Please watch over the USA, it still needs your strength. Rest in peace with the angels.