THE WALL OF FACES

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. The remembrances from your classmates, Katherine Smith Cunningham and Judith Gresham are touching and reflect their admiration and respect for you. As long as you are remembered you will always be with us….

On May 19, 1967, A Company, 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division, while in a forward area in preparation for a combat assault, began receiving enemy fire from several different locations. The hostile fire occurred in the vicinity of the hamlet of Vinh Hien (3), five miles northwest of Duc Pho in Quang Nghia Province, RVN. One infantryman, PFC Carnell E. Watson, was killed and another wounded. Changing strategies, A/2/35 remained in place to exploit the contact. The company moved south, overran enemy positions, and killed two Viet Cong (VC). Later that afternoon, A/2/35 again made contact, destroyed more enemy positions, and killed three more VC. At 7:15 PM, the company established a night defensive position (NDP) with listening posts (LP’s) around the perimeter. Just past midnight, the LP’s engaged approaching enemy, killing two. They shifted positions and waited. At 1:47 AM, A/2/35 reported an estimated enemy company was attacking the NDP. The VC “hugged” the American position, both sides throwing hand grenades. Enemy grenades inflicted several casualties, and medivacs were put on standby. As the fighting shifted to A/2/35’s northern flank, the company requested an ammunition resupply. The ammo was brought by armored personnel carriers (APC’S) of C/3/4 Cavalry, guided by a gunship flying over the besieged company’s position. By 4:18 AM, A/2/35/ had ten wounded; however, enemy fire drove off medivac helicopters. The APC’s arrived before 5:00 AM, about the same time enemy fire began to slacken. The lull brought in the medivacs which removed twelve wounded and two killed. From daybreak until noon, there was no enemy contact, and a sweep of the battle area revealed ten dead VC and bunker complex nearby. Engineers with a security detail on APC’s sent to destroy the bunkers were attacked, killing the track commander SSG Lonnie L. Smith and his driver SGT Ivy M. McCarroll Jr. The engineer party was reinforced, and fierce fighting drove the enemy southward. C/2/35 was inserted to support the operation, and together with A/2/35 and C/3/4, assaulted an entrenched enemy at Vinh Hien (3). The fighting killed 89 VC at the cost of six U.S.: (A/2/35) PFC Rudolph R. Corona III and SP4 Carl D. Nagengast; (C/2/35) PFC Gary M. Killian, PFC Joseph Ledesma, and PFC Roland E. Rush (posthumously awarded the Silver Star medal); and (C Btry/2/9 Arty) 1LT William H. Farmer Jr. (died of wounds 05/29/1967). [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and cacti35th.com]

Dear PFC Gary Killian, Thank you for your service as an Infantryman. Saying thank you isn't enough, but it is from the heart. It is Advent, and we are beginning our preparations. The time passes quickly. Please watch over America, it stills needs your strength, courage, guidance and faithfulness. Rest in peace with the angels.

Dear PFC Gary Martin Killian, 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, Sir

Curt Carter