THE WALL OF FACES

Fifty Four years have passed since that morning.

During the spring of 1968, the 19th Engineer Battalion was on a mission to upgrade the section of National Highway QL-1 between Bong Son and Duc Pho, RVN. This work was conducted despite harassment by North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong forces active in the area which frequently mined the road and ambushed engineers. The highway required daily sweeping beginning at daybreak before it could be opened for traffic or road construction. On April 6, 1968, a mine sweep team from C Company, 19th Engineer Battalion, was ambushed on QL-1 seven miles north of Tam Quan in Quang Ngai Province. The 9:15 AM attack began when a command-detonated Claymore mine was discharged on the east side of the highway while an engineer was checking the road shoulder. The blast triggered a fusillade as an estimated fourteen Viet Cong, seven on each side of the roadway, opened fire with small arms, machine gun, and M79 fire. Two armored personnel carriers and ten combat engineers providing security on the sweep returned fire. Gunships were scrambled to the scene to provide support. Three engineers were killed during the attack. They included PFC Robert L. Barker Jr., PFC Michael P. McLaughlin, and SP4 Larry M. Wolpert. Two others were wounded. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and “19th Engineer Battalion United States Army” at 19engrvn.org]

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. It saddens me so few have posted remembrances for you....surely you deserve better. Rest in eternal peace.

PFC. Barker thank you for your service and your sacrifice!
May America never forget your sacrifice and the sacrifice of so many others.
RIP

We still remember you Private Barker..
And the Almighty Is remembering You
You gave everything you had
God Bless You