THE WALL OF FACES

In honor of your dedication and sacrifice to our Country, our Corps, and our CAP unit, on 8 August 2024 the CAP Unit Veterans Association will have a brick engraved with your name installed along the walkway of the National Museum of the Marine Corps, Quantico, Virginia, at the Dedication of the Combined Action Platoon Monument.
Thank you for your service to our Corps and Country.
Semper Fidelis.

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. The remembrance from Steve O'Brien is moving and reflects his admiration and respect for you. As long as you are remembered you will remain in our hearts forever….

Never forgotten.

Semper Fi, Marine

The Combined Action Program was a United States Marine Corps operational initiative implemented during the Vietnam War and developed as a counterinsurgency tool during that conflict. The program was characterized by the placement of a thirteen-member Marine rifle squad, augmented by a U.S. Navy Corpsman, and strengthened by a Vietnamese militia platoon of older youth and elderly men, in or adjacent to a rural Vietnamese hamlet. In most cases, the Popular Forces militia members were residents of the hamlet who were either too young or too old to be drafted into the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) or the Regional Forces. The entire unit of American Marines and Popular Forces militia members together was designated as a Combined Action Platoon (CAP). At 9:20 AM on September 6, 1970, two members of CAP 2-4-5 were disposing of expired ordinance near a river approximately one mile east of Hoi An in Quang Nam Province, RVN. One was a Navy corpsman with demolition training and the other was Marine rifleman CPL Don M. Justice. When they reached the river’s edge, the corpsman stepped off the bank into the water and prepared the charge. The river bank was about waist high. As he bent over to pull the fuse, a large explosion occurred, tossing the corpsman about 20 feet out into the river. CPL Justice jumped into the water and pulled the Navy man out. Initially, they thought the charge had blown early. However, as Justice pulled the corpsman up the bank, they saw the charge was still laying there. Both knew then the blast had been a command detonated mine from across the waterway. They opened fire with their rifles, shooting towards the trees on the other side of the waterway. The corpsman suffered a head wound from shrapnel and was bleeding profusely. Others from CAP 2-4-5 heard the explosion and weapons fire came to their location within five minutes. They placed fire on the suspected enemy position while another aidman treated the wounded corpsman. Justice then yelled he located a wire coming from river. At the same moment, a second, more powerful explosion occurred causing extensive wounds to Justice’s lower extremities. Another team arrived from CAP 2-4-3 with their corpsman and provided aid to Justice until a medivac aircraft arrived. He was flown to the 95th Evacuation hospital in Da Nang where he expired the following day. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org, wikipedia.org, and information provided by Steve O’Brien (July 2020)]

Dear Cpl Don Justice, Thank you for your service as a Rifleman. I researched you on the 50th anniversary of the start of your tour. Saying thank you isn't enough, but it is from the heart. Halloween is in 2 days. The time passes quickly. Please watch over America, it stills needs your strength, courage and faithfulness. Rest in peace with the angels.