THE WALL OF FACES

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. As long as you are remembered you will always be with us….

Dear Sgt Michael Hoglund, Thank you for your service as a Special Forces Infantryman. Happy Summer in heaven! Please watch over the USA, it still needs your strength. Rest in peace with the angels.

Sergeant Michael August Hoglund, Served with Detachment B-56 (Project Sigma), Military Assistance Command Vietnam-Studies and Observations Group (MACV-SOG), 5th Special Forces Group, United States Army Vietnam.

SGT Michael A. Hoglund was assigned to 5th Special Forces Group (ABN) as a radio operator at FOB 2, Kontum, on the Project Omega (13-50). He was killed on November 10, 1967 by SFC Allen, a friend. He was shot with a 9mm pistol through a screened window of the Project Omega building. There are various accounts of this incident. First account – (SGT Hoglund was) killed by SFC Allen, a friend, in an argument over a female. Due to the secrecy of SOG, the killer, SFC Allen was fined a carton of cigarettes and reassigned from SOG, suffering no further punishment. Second account - Filed by Don Martin, SOA: “I was present at FOB-2 that evening, along with several of my fellow aviators, crew chiefs, door gunners. However, we were asleep at the time of the incident as I recall. We were told the story by SF personnel the next day. As I remember it, two SF NCOs, nicknamed "Snake" and "Squirrel" told us what happened, filling in some of the details over a period of days and nights, with the latter spent around a small campfire while drinking beer and thinking about what perils awaited us on the next mission to Laos or Cambodia…the stories we heard were probably embellished quite a bit. What I heard made it sound at the time like a gun duel in old Laredo, or the gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Also, we originally heard (and I don't recall hearing anything different back in 1968) that the argument was over a card game, versus a woman, with lots of drinking and accusations of cheating (at cards) involved. I just remember it was quite a story at the time, but never really knew if any of what I heard was factual or not.” Third account – In John Plaster's book, SOG A Photo History of the Secret War, page 108, it describes SGT Hoglund as being killed in action as part of a Hatchet force sent in to rescue the Jolly Green surviving crew, CAPT Young, USAF, Jolly Green. The pilot received the Medal of Honor for his action this date.
SGT Hoglund is buried at White Chapel Cemetery, Troy, MI. [Taken from findagrave.com and macvsog.cc]

Dear SGT Michael August Hoglund, sir

As an American, I would like to thank you for your service and for your sacrifice made on behalf of our wonderful country. The youth of today could gain much by learning of heroes such as yourself, men and women whose courage and heart can never be questioned.

May God allow you to read this, and may He allow me to someday shake your hand when I get to Heaven to personally thank you. May he also allow my father to find you and shake your hand now to say thank you; for America, and for those who love you.

With respect, and the best salute a civilian can muster for you, Sir

Curt Carter