THE WALL OF FACES

He was one of my grandpa’s (Ron Firestone) really good friends from high school

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. We should be forever thankful for the sacrifices of you and so many others to ensure the freedoms we so often take for granted.

Khe Sanh Combat Base was a U.S. Marine Corps outpost south of the Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). Hill fights on the nearby high ground in April 1967 expanded into the 1968 Battle of Khe Sanh, considered the climactic phase of the Tet Offensive. On July 5, 1968, the combat base was unceremoniously abandoned by U.S. forces. In 1971, Khe Sanh was reactivated by the U.S. Army during Operation Dewey Canyon II to support Operation Lam Son 719, the South Vietnamese invasion of Laos. During this time, elements of the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile) occupied the base. Beginning March 15th, Khe Sanh began receiving daily artillery attacks by North Vietnamese Army (NVA) 122mm field guns. At 2:30 AM on March 23rd, the base was hit by 120-150 rounds of 60mm mortar and rocket-propelled grenade fire followed by a 40-man sapper attack from the 2nd Company, 15th NVA Engineer Battalion. The enemy successfully penetrated the perimeter near the 3rd Platoon, D Troop, 2nd Squadron, 17th Cavalry position in its attempt to reach the airfield petroleum field and ammunition dumps. The fighting lasted over four hours before the enemy broke contact at 6:45 AM. A first light check revealed fourteen NVA dead, one prisoner of war captured, and nine AK-50 rifles, three RPG launchers, and one 9mm pistol recovered along with numerous small arms ammunition and demolition equipment. An additional six NVA were estimated killed, their bodies dragged away by the retreating enemy. U.S. losses were four killed and seventeen wounded, four of them seriously. The lost personnel included (from D-2/17th) SP4 Jeffery I. Quintanilla, PFC Jeffrey C. Keetle, and PFC Lance A. Robinson; and (from A Btry, 4th Bn, 77th Arty) PFC Warren P. Seawel. Seawel was posthumously awarded the Silver Star medal for bravely defending his position while engaging the enemy sappers. All the fallen U.S. troopers received posthumous promotions: Keetle, Robinson, and Seawel to Corporal, and Quintanilla to Sergeant. Material damage at Khe Sanh included two aircraft destroyed, four aircraft damaged, and two rearming points damaged. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and Operational Report, Lessons Learned, 2nd Squadron, 17th Cavalry, 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile), Period Ending 31 March 1971]

Never forgotten.

HOOAH

On this 50th anniversary of Jeffrey’s death, may I say:

“Your memories in us will live,
And in our prayers you will forever be.
May you rest in peace!”

That night of close-in fighting at Khe Sanh, I had the privilege and honor to lead great soldiers like you. You made the ultimate sacrifice, something that I will remember always. The sadness never leaves.

Tom Wheelock
1LT, 3rd Platoon, Delta Troop, 2/17th Cav