THE WALL OF FACES

I didn't know Raymond but my dad worked with his dad at Halliburton, I'd heard the story of how Raymond was killed and how heartbreaking it was for his Dad and the rest of his family. I was just a young child at the time but I never forgot how my dad explained that Raymond was a hero and how proud and thankful he was for Raymond's sacrifice for his country.

SP4 Raymond P. Johnson was an infantryman assigned to Long-Range Reconnaissance Patrol (LRRP) Platoon, Headquarters & Headquarters Company (HHC), 2nd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division. Known as "Lurps," the unit consisted of small, well-armed reconnaissance teams which patrolled deep into enemy-held territory. The patrols mostly conducted surveillance and other tasks deemed necessary during their five-day, four-night missions, seeking information on Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army units to report to Division commanders which would deploy troops to engage the enemy forces. At approximately 8:40 PM on August 9, 1969, SP4 Johnson was on a mission ten kilometers (6.0 miles) northwest of Plei Mrong in Kontum Province, RVN, when he was attacked and dragged from the team’s night defensive position. His remains were recovered the next day. Following their evacuation and examination by 4th Medical Battalion personnel, it was determined Johnson had been killed by an Indochinese tiger. After their dispensation, the remains were forwarded to Graves Registration mortuary staff for return to his family in Louisiana. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and k75ranger.com]

Image courtesy of Redbird Research LLC, Saint Charles, MO.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.

Page was a sweet, fun loving guy. I remember the heartbreak of his friends and the sadness of his funeral. Keeping him in prayer always.