THE WALL OF FACES

Dear Lt Jack Le Tourneau, Thank you for your service as a Navigator. Saying thank you isn't enough, but it is from the heart. Happy Spring! Today is Palm Sunday. The time passes quickly. Please watch over America, it stills needs your strength, courage, guidance and faithfulness. Rest in peace with the angels.

On Sunday, February 11, 1962, a Douglas SC-47A aircraft (# 15732) from 1st Air Commando Squadron, 314th Air Division, 13th Air Force was on a propaganda leaflet dropping flight over South Vietnam when it crashed in the mountains near Bao Loc, Lam Dong Province, South Vietnam. The aircraft’s proposed flight path was from Saigon to Da Nang to drop propaganda leaflets with a New Year's message from President Kennedy over the high plateau area of central Vietnam. As the aircraft swept low near the village of Blao, a concealed enemy force opened fire. The plane was struck by small arms fire and crashed in the mountains southwest of the village. A joint U.S./Vietnamese rescue team was sent to the crash site to recover the remains of the eight U.S. servicemen who were aboard the aircraft. They included six USAF personnel: CAPT Edward K. Kissam Jr., CAPT Joseph M. Fahey Jr., 1LT Jack D. Le Tourneau, 1LT Stanley G. Hartson, TSGT Floyd M. Frazier, and A1C Robert L. Westfall; two U.S. Army personnel: 2LT Lewis M. Walling Jr., and SP4 Glen F. Merrihew; and 2 unknown South Vietnamese Air Force personnel. [Taken from aviation-safety.net and togetherweserved.com]

My daughter just got back from a class trip to Washington DC. On their last day, it was a somber day visiting all of the memorials. There were WWII vets that were flown in that day, and my daughter was amongst one of many to shake the hands of some of the greatest men and women ever to fight for our country. While shaking hands, there was a woman asking if anyone had a ladder. Her husband, whom was in a wheelchair, was a Vietnam vet. The name of his Vietnam brother was up too high for them to get a rubbing. My daughter quietly said she would be lifted up to get it for them...they didn't hear her, so her chaperone spoke up for Alexa saying that she would get it for the man. The woman wept. My daughter was lifted up and she was able to rub the vet's "brother's" name from the wall. When Alexa got down from the wall, she handed the rubbing to the vet's wife. Both the vet and the wife were crying, and my daughter had tears too for what had just happened. I also heard that there were many people there watching...taking pictures...weeping at the sight before them as my daughter was in the air rubbing the name of the fallen soldier.

One of your many friends was there to visit you and pay their respects on June 4, 2015. Thank you for your service. Thank you for your ultimate sacrifice for your country...so that we can still live in "The Land of the Free". God Bless you and your "brothers", as well as your family and friends that still miss you every day.

If I should die, and leave you here awhile, be not like others, sore undone, who keep long vigils by the silent dust, and weep...for MY sake, turn again to life, and smile...Nerving thy heart, and trembling hand to do something to comfort other hearts than thine...Complete these dear, unfinished tasks of mine...and I, perchance, may therein comfort you.

Jack, as a fellow veteran, and as a grateful American, I wanted to thank you for answering your country's call. You are not forgotten sir.