THE WALL OF FACES

I lived on Kobe Dr in San Diego, down the street from the Bartocci's and across from Boo Iott.The day the Bartocci's moved in, all us kids rode our bikes around to check out the new family. Mr Bartocci called us over and introduced us to his kids, Bart and Allison. My bike was always throwing the chain, and Mr Bartocci found his tools, packed away in a box,and fixed it for me. What a great guy. Bart was a couple years younger than I but we became good friends, running the neighborhood with all the kids. So sad when we heard his father was lost at sea. I was 13-14 years old then, but remember it well, the kindness Ltcd Bartocci showed me.

DEAR LIEUTENANT COMMANDER BARTOCCI,
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AS A PILOT - UNRESTRICTED LINE OFFICER FROM THE U. S. S. HANCOCK. I WAS BORN IN NEW YORK CITY TOO. YOU ARE STILL MIA. PLEASE COME HOME. WE MISS YOU. WATCH OVER THE U.S.A., IT STILL NEEDS YOUR COURAGE. ADVENT IS HERE, AND CHRISTMAS IS APPROACHING. WE ARE THANKFUL FOR YOU. THE NEW YEAR IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER, WHICH MAKES IT FAR TOO LONG FOR YOU TO HAVE BEEN GONE. GOD BLESS YOU. MAY THE SAINTS AND ANGELS BE AT YOUR SIDE.

That night John died, I was a 23 year old LTJG in an A-4 Skyhawk 1/4 mile behind him and the next to land on Hancock after John cleared the landing area. The flight deck burst into flames and the debris slid up the deck and over the side. After wandering around for awhile trying to get hooked up with a tanker, I was finally vectored to the USS America where I landed with less than 500 lbs of fuel on board.
It was a hell of a night.
Because I was an LSO, I knew John well. Nice guy.
I think of him often and visit him at our Wall South.

On August 31, 1968, during a carrier night-landing attempt in a Vought F-8H "Crusader", LCDR John E. Bartocci's aircraft went down. His body was never recovered. [Narrative taken from pownetwork.org; image from wikipedia.org]

Dear LCDR John Eugene Bartocci, sir

As an American, I would like to thank you for your service and for your sacrifice made on behalf of our wonderful country. The youth of today could gain much by learning of heroes such as yourself, men and women whose courage and heart can never be questioned.

May God allow you to read this, and may He allow me to someday shake your hand when I get to Heaven to personally thank you. May he also allow my father to find you and shake your hand now to say thank you; for America, and for those who love you.

With respect, and the best salute a civilian can muster for you, Sir

Curt Carter