THE WALL OF FACES

On June 19, 1968, elements of Second and Third Platoons, C Company, 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division "Wolfhounds" conducted an “Eagle Mission,” an air mobile insertion west of the Saigon River in Gia Dinh Province, RVN, to interdict enemy forces infiltrating the Saigon and Tan Son Nhut area. A little before 11:00 AM, the troopers were set down adjacent to a berm in a field by the juncture of the Rach Tra stream and the Saigon River, six kilometers (3.6 miles) northeast of Hoc Mon village. As the last of the five UH-1 helicopters (116th Aviation Company “Hornets”) pulled out of the landing zone, VC concealed in a hedgerow 10-15 yards away opened fire with small arms and rocket-propelled grenades. The foot-tall reed grass in the field provided no cover, and within ten minutes nearly every man on the Eagle Flight had been killed or wounded. Army AH-1 Cobra gunships (25th Aviation Battalion “Diamondheads”) accompanying the insertion attacked the enemy positions. This was followed by three waves of CS (tear) gas placed on the VC’s location. Moving in small groups, the pinned down Americans were able to pull back with their wounded behind the smoke screen approximately 150 yards to link up with a second Eagle Flight from B-1/27 sent to reinforce them. Bravo Company’s medics treated the C Company wounded and secured a landing zone for medical evacuations. Under fire the wounded were lifted out and flown to the 12th Evacuation Hospital at Cu Chi. Later, Delta Company arrived on foot to further strengthen the position. A headcount revealed over a dozen C Company men missing. At midnight, a stealth assault group from D-1/27 entered the contact area to recover any other wounded; however, all the personnel they located were dead. Twenty-five enemy bodies were also in the area. Total U.S. losses were thirteen killed with thirteen wounded. The lost personnel included PFC David R. Bartholomew, PFC James R. Fry Jr., SP4 Jeffery H. Hall, PFC Michael J. Johnson, 1LT John J. Link, PVT Eugene L. Manselle III, SP4 Charles A. McKinney, SP4 Ruben D. Mercado-Gutierrez, SGT John V. Quintal, SP4 Bobby D. Stanley, PFC Fred Wilson, PVT Gary D. Woods, and PFC Robert G. Zink. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and archive.org; Image: Helicopters arrive to take soldiers from the 27th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division on an "Eagle Mission." (Pacific Stars & Stripes, May 1, 1967)]

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. The remembrance from Linda Bowman is moving. As long as you are remembered you will remain in our hearts forever...

David "Whitey" was the best man in our wedding (Linda and Ken). He was my husband's best friend. I only knew him for a short while but he was like a brother to Ken. The last day we saw him was the day our son was baptized. I remember the day we got the news of his death. Ken cried like a baby. I'm sure today they are both up in heaven whooping it up. God Bless You and thank you for your service.

Can’t believe it’s fifty years since we lost you. Such a stupid war which took so many young men and women. I salute you Whitey for your supreme sacrifice. May you continue to Rest In Peace and maybe we’ll meet again. Your friend Bill.

Private First Class David Russell Bartholomew, Served with Company C, 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division.