THE WALL OF FACES

A butterfly lights beside us like a sunbeam
And for a brief moment its glory
and beauty belong to our world
But then it flies again
And though we wish it could have stayed...
We feel lucky to have seen it.

I was Ray Kellens platoon leader in Vietnam. I mention his name when giving Memorial Day speeches.

Dear Sp5 Raymond Kellems, Thank you for your service as a Combat Engineer. Saying thank you isn't enough, but it is from the heart. We are approaching Thanksgiving. The time passes quickly. Please watch over America, it stills needs your strength, courage and faithfulness. Rest in peace with the angels.

Specialist Five Raymond Earl Kellems, Served with the 1st Platoon, Company C, 1st Engineer Battalion, 1st Infantry Division, United States Army Vietnam.

Operation Bloodhound, later renamed Operation Bushmaster II, commenced on December 1, 1965, when 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment (2/2nd Infantry) was put on the ground at Landing Zone (LZ) Dallas inside the Michelin Rubber Plantation in Binh Duong Province, RVN. LZ Dallas served as the command post in the operation. From December 2–5, the Americans searched southeast of LZ Dallas in the Viet Cong 272nd Regiment’s base area known as the Long Nguyen Secret Zone. At midday on December 5th, three companies from the 2/2nd Infantry came under fire from Viet Cong bunkers. A U.S. attempt to outflank the Viet Cong position was repulsed, and a Viet Cong force then attempted to outflank the Americans who withdrew into a defensive perimeter. The 2/2nd Infantry commander, LTC Shuffer, called for air and artillery support and the 8th Battalion, 6th Artillery Regiment, and 2nd Battalion, 32nd Artillery Regiment, provided fire support on the southwestern perimeter, while air strikes were conducted on the east and helicopter gunships strikes on the north. The Viet Cong attempted to escape this firepower by "hugging" the American positions, but were forced back by small arms fire. The barrage continued for over four hours, allowing the 2/2 Infantry to secure their position and permit Companies A and C to move south behind a creeping barrage and overrun the Viet Cong bunkers. By 2:30 PM, the Viet Cong were abandoning their positions and fleeing the battlefield, leaving behind their dead and weapons and equipment. LTC Shuffer decided not to pursue the retreating Viet Cong, fearing further ambush, and withdrew into a night perimeter. After spending the night defending the landing zone and evacuating their wounded by helicopter, the men of 2nd Battalion resumed their search of the battle area to recover their dead comrades and prevent the Viet Cong from salvaging equipment from the battlefield. Their actions resulted in 300 dead Viet Cong, the wounding of an estimated 200, the capture of many enemy weapons, and the destruction of the base camp and training facility. The 272nd Regiment disappeared for the next four months presumably to recover its losses. U.S. losses in the battle numbered 43 killed. The lost American troopers included PFC Douglas V. Andre, PFC Steven H. Boyer, PFC David L. Brodeur, SP4 Frederick C. Cadille, PFC Morris F. Dibble, SGT George J. Eisenberger, PFC Richard M. Facondini, PFC Henry Gentry Jr., SGT Robert Goines, SP4 James Graham, SP4 John P. Greene, PFC Michael A. Gruber, PFC Jorge M. Jaramillo, PFC Norman W. Johnson, PFC Grandville R. Jones Jr., SP4 Leonard A. Jones, PVT George E. Joyce, SP5 Raymond E. Kellems, SP4 Richard Killens, SP4 Patrick W. King, SSGT Czeslaw Kowalczyk, SP4 O’neal Legette, SP4 McGeary Littlejohn, SSGT James E. Lofgren, PSGT Luis B. Lopez, SP4 Charles E. Manzanares, 1LT Edward K. Marsh, PSGT Donald W. McCammon, SGT Philip J. McCarthy, PFC Warren S. Oshiro, SGT Leonidas Raisis, PFC Joseph D. Riggle, SP4 Julius Roberts Jr., PFC Carlos H. Ruiz, PFC Michael P. Schwebel, PVT Milton Solomon, SGT Roger W. Spradlin, PFC Don G. Stallard, SSGT John L. Thibeault, SSGT Harry S. Thompson, PFC David J. Tungate, SSGT Edward C. Upner, and SFC Willie S. Right. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org, wikipedia.org, and 2/2nd Infantry’s Valorous Unit Award citation]