THE WALL OF FACES

Some may think you are forgotten
Though on earth you are no more
But in our memory you are with us
As you always were before….

Wish new you better went over March 1969 your cousin Butch

Well, more like a brother. We went to language school together at DLIWC in Monterey, California. When we got to Dong Ha, he went to 12th Marines and I went to 13th Marines. Dennis was killed on the 17 February '69 and I was wounded on 23 February '69. I wouldn't find out about his death until after I got out of the hospital and was recuperating. To this day, I wear a stainless bracelet in his honor and it is always a privilege to tell people about him and his sacrifice, when people ask. He was a fine man and an excellent Marine. Semper Fidelis, brother.

I went to junior high with your brother Brian

Fire Support Base Cunningham was a U.S. Marine Corps firebase southwest of Dong Ha in central Vietnam. The base was constructed overlooking the Da Krong Valley, twenty-three miles southeast of Vandegrift Combat Base, and a half mile north of Route 922. Cunningham was established on January 25, 1969, by the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines in support of Operation Dewey Canyon, an operation to sweep the North Vietnamese Army–dominated A Shau and Song Da Krong Valleys. In the early morning of February 17th, a NVA sapper platoon supported by a reinforced company launched an attack on FSB Cunningham. Dressed in shorts, skullcaps, and weighted down with explosives, they broke through the defensive wire and dashed toward the center of the fire support base, tossing concussion grenades and satchel charges into every open hole. Although initially caught by surprise, the Marines of Company L, securing the fire support base, quickly organized a drive to clear the base in the face of heavy enemy mortar and recoilless rifle fire. Headquarters Battery, 2nd Battalion, 12th Marines bore the brunt of the attack, suffering major damage within the first minutes; the battalion's fire direction center was put out of action, as was one howitzer. Within 30 minutes, however, the battalion reestablished centralized fire control, and batteries continued with their missions. Throughout the night they expended 3,270 rounds on targets of opportunity, suspected assembly areas, and likely escape routes. In support, the Army of the Republic of Vietnam 105mm battery on nearby FSB Lightning unleashed reinforcing fires totaling 340 rounds. A sweep of the base and surrounding hillsides at first light revealed thirty-seven NVA bodies, thirteen of which were within the perimeter. A number of individual weapons, grenades, and packs were also located, the latter containing quantities of marijuana and other drugs. The use of narcotics, it was explained, "made them a lot harder to kill. Not one of the gooks we had inside the perimeter had less than three or four holes in him. Usually it took a grenade or something to stop him completely." Four Marines lost their lives and forty-six were wounded during the three-hour defense. The lost Marines included LCPL Dennis J. Kane, LCPL Dickie G. Keeler, CPL Donald L. Kujawa, PFC Thomas W. Sander, and LCPL Russell W. Wendler. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and “U.S. Marines in Vietnam: High Mobility and Standdown 1969” by Charles R. Smith]