THE WALL OF FACES

Each Memorial Day I honor the memory of my cousin "Pete" Keesee, who died in Vietnam in November of 1968, 6 weeks before his 21st birthday. Thank you, Pete, for your bravery and courage.

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. The remembrance from Gretchen Osa is touching and reflects her admiration and respect for you. As long as you are remembered you will always be with us….

National Route 19 (QL-19) ran across South Vietnam roughly in line with the 14th parallel north. In August 1965, the 1st Cavalry Division established Camp Radcliff at An Khe along QL-19, making the highway a vital supply artery to the chain of bases established in the Central Highlands. The Viet Cong (VC) and North Vietnamese Army (NVA) were displeased with these developments they viewed as impediments to their own tactical objectives. Subsequently, throughout the region, the enemy launched frequent ambushes against Allied units and repeatedly mined the roadway along QL-19. On November 13, 1968, a convoy was traveling on QL-19 in Binh Dinh Province, approximately eleven miles west of An Khe, when 60mm mortars fired from the south side of the roadway began impacting near the column of vehicles. Small arms fire was also received at about the same location. Two helicopter gunships from the 170th Attack Helicopter Company “Buccaneers” providing convoy cover spotted twenty-five NVA 300 yards south of the road. As the first gunship started to make its run against the enemy combatants, it was hit by several rounds of .51 automatic weapons fire. The UH-1C (#66-15163) aircraft experienced a complete tail rotor failure after the rotor shaft sheared off causing the helicopter to crash. Two crewmen, aircraft commander WO1 Loren E. Engstrom and crew chief SP5 Arthur E. Keesee, were killed, and two others were injured. The second Buccaneer gunship engaged the NVA with five possible kills reported. Tanks from 69th Armor were sent as a reaction force with infantrymen from Scout Platoon, 1/50 Infantry. The tanks fired on the NVA which were pursued by the dismounted Scout Platoon. The infantrymen located one dead NVA hit by a (tank) cannister round. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org, vhpa.org, and “History of 1st Battalion (Mechanized), 50th Infantry, 173rd Airborne Brigade, 1 October 1968 – 31 December 1968” at ichiban1.org]

"Everyone in the family called him "Pete". I don't know how that nickname got started. I met Pete because his cousins, the Schoonover boys, lived on the same street as my family. I must have been 15 when we first met because we were already dating when he began his first tour of Vietnam in October 1966.
After I graduated from high school, I moved to Sacramento with my best friend and her mother.
Pete and I continued to have a long distance relationship through letters the entire time he was in Vietnam. During his deployments, he sent me two beautiful pieces of jewelry; which I still wear. I think of him every time I put them on. I loved writing to him as I knew it kept his spirits up.
While on leave, he came to visit me in Sacramento. I was heartbroken when I learned he had volunteered for a second tour. The days we had together were precious. While I was at work one day, Pete painted a racing stripe on my tiny little car. A Renault Dauphene. I still laugh about it.
Pete had the most beautiful eyes. They were soft and gentle. He was a soft and gentle soul. He always treated me with love and respect. We continued to date and I wrote to him two or three times a week during his second deployment. The day I learned he died was the most devastating of my life.
I still miss him and have a soft spot in my heart. I am so glad I found this website where I can share memories of such a wonderful person. When I was still working, I traveled to Washington DC quite a bit. I made a point to visit the Vietnam memorial every time."

We thank you for your service and sacrifice. You are remembered, not forgotten because we utter your name with respect to honor you.
Heart of Texas Veterans Memorial.