THE WALL OF FACES

Semper Fi, Doc

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. The remembrance from your friend Charles is especially poignant. Rest in eternal peace.

Mike was one of my closest classmates at Granada Hills High School. I went to his Memorial Mass the night before his funeral. At the funeral, the Catholic priest was thinking about (1965 Heisman Trophy winner from USC) Mike Garrett, and kept referring to Mike as “Mike Garrett” instead of “…Barrett.” Nobody corrected him. The name mix-up made that the saddest funeral I ever went to. I felt so sorry for his mom, who had to endure that on top of everything. (Solemnly officiating at a burial and you can’t get the name right???!!!)

I’ll never forget what a “good Catholic” Mike was. At GHHS, we always ate our school lunch together. At least once a month, on a Thursday, when Mike would be eating a hamburger, I’d routinely go, “Mike! What are you doing? It’s Friday! (No meat allowed for Catholics on Friday’s---only fish.) Mike would equally routinely start gagging, until I quickly told him, “Just joshing you! It’s Thursday! (More than once I had to stop him from spitting a mouthful of hamburger out.) Losing a good friend like Mike was painful, then and gets more painful over the years as we learn more about what Vietnam was all about.

RIP Mike. We’ll never forget you.

Hospitalman Michael Barry Barrett, Served with the Headquarters and Service Company, 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, Third Marine Amphibious Force.

At 0415 On 8 February 1968. Alpha. I Outpost came under a heavy ground and mortar attack. At the same time, the Battalion perimeter began receiving mortar, rocket and artillery fire, which was continued throughout the attack. The initial attack was beaten back. At 0610 the enemy regrouped and attacked ago.in,penetrating the wire and were again beaten back. The attack continued in waves and the enemy managed to take the northwest slope of the perimeter. At 0740 a relief column consisting of the Alpha Command Group and Alpha II left to retake and consolidate the Alpha I Outpost. At 0825 the relief column reached the crest of the hill. Fighting continued until approximately 1100 when the outpost was retaken. At the same time Company "D" observed a large number of enemy withdrawing from the Alpha I Outpost. Company "D" opened fire with all available arms. The result s after the days fight was twenty-four friendly KIA, 29 friendly WIA and over one hundred and fifty enemy bodies were found by Companies "A" and "D". Between 0400 and 1400 on 8 February the 1st Battalion, 9th Marines received over three hundred and fifty rounds of enemy supporting arms Fire.
9th Marine Regiment/1st Bn (1/9) February 1968 Command Chronology