THE WALL OF FACES

Greater love has no man then to give his life for another. Thank you Mike for my life. I will never know why you traded places with me but I will thank you every day for doing it.

It was around July 12, 1968. I was on my way to the mess hall. It could have been somewhere else but for some reason I believe I was going to breakfast. Michael Allen Beals (RA16848006) who was a scout observer and I passed one another; we greeted each other as we always did. I noticed something that morning looking in Michael's face I have never forgotten. I remember seeing a very gray color in his face and I was very disturbed by it. I had no idea at the time what I was seeing but it became apparent later. I call the look I saw, “The look of death.” I still live with the image of his face as we passed that morning.

B-Troop was flying night perimeter missions around the south of Saigon. Michael Allen Beals and James L. Fowle (RA11748551) would share the same Helmet when they both were not flying at the same time. A picture of Michael and the helmet is enclosed. James L. Fowle scheduled to fly the mission that night but Michael wanted to trade missions with him, James agreed and some how worked it out that way. That night Michael and the Pilot was shot down and landed in the Saigon River. Both got out of the helicopter, unknowingly they swam to opposite sides of the river. The pilot found and rescued by a Cobra gunship but Michael not found because he swam to the other side of the river. It was two or three days later, they found Michael on the bank of the Saigon River with his hands tied behind his back and a bullet in the back of his head. The Viet Cong executed Michael. My friend James Fowle has never forgiven himself for Michael's death.

I am not sure of the date but I can remember returning to Vinh Long two prisoners of war our infantry captured working in the U Mihn Forest. They were put on my ship to be returned to Vihn Long. As the two prisoners got on the ship my door gunner took one the other jumped on the seat next to me, as if, he was going to ride first class. I remember him peering into my eyes with this pitiful look, his eyes were asking for pity from me. They were as bloodshot as eyes could be. You could see he was doped to the max. I pushed him to the floor and drug him to the cargo door just in front of me, his feet hung outside the door. I put my 45 caliber pistol to his head, then announced over the ships radio, “If this guy makes one false move, I am going to blow his brains out.” The crew was in full agreement. My door gunner had his prisoner in the same position as we were returning to Vinh Long. I must confess, I wanted to blow his brains out just like they did to Michael Beals.

We will always have you in are hearts and minds Michael Beals.

Lou Sanders: Sandy

Dear Michael,
I never knew you, but I wish I could have gotten the opportunity to thank you personally for all that you did in the Vietnam War. Your dedication to help save our country means so much . You are a true hero and will always be remembered as one. Thank you so much again for all that you did and may God bless you and your family.
Sincerely,
Kelsey Zehr