THE WALL OF FACES

Dear Sgt Raymond Link, Thank you for your service as an Aircraft Electronic Systems Tech/Trainee. Saying thank you isn't enough, but it is from the heart. Today is Easter Friday. The time passes quickly. Please watch over America, it stills needs your strength, courage, guidance and faithfulness. Rest in peace with the angels.

Dearest Raymond,as I'm sure you see, Pauline and I are still attached at the hip, and the heart. We talk about and remember you always. We laugh, we cry, but mostly imagine life with you know. Rest well, we will hold you again when we meet you in heaven.

At approximately 1:30 AM on August 28, 1967, Marble Mountain Air Facility (MMAF) near Da Nang, RVN, came under heavy rocket attack. Five Marines died during the barrage and dozens of others were wounded when a billeting area was hit while Marines were sleeping. The lost personnel included CPL Terry L. Ecker, LCPL Michael J. Caller, LCPL Philip R. Curran, SGT Raymond P. Link, and CPL Robert H. Steele. CPL Ecker had less than 30 days left before his return to the U.S. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and popasmoke.com]

Semper Fi, Bro.

He loved us so.
Every day, in a hundred ways, he told us so.
In honesty, in affection, he told us so.
He loved us so.'
Every day, in a hundred ways, he showed us so.
With loyalty and bravery, he showed us so.
He was our defender, and he kept us free!
He took an oath to guard us, and fought for liberty!
He loved us so, and we should know.
For we loved him so.
Sergeant Link, you were the very essence of DUTY!...HONOR!...and COUNTRY! You had been there and done that in Vietnam! You were one brave man who did brave deeds for our America! You fought for the right without question or pause! Your name and fame are the BIRTHRIGHT of EVERY American citizen! In your youth and strength...your love and loyalty...you had given all that mortalit7y can give to defend liberty everywhere! Butler is very proud of you! You sacrificed you life so that freedom and justice may live! You had lived up to the motto of the Corps!---SEMPER FIDELIS!---and to the code of conduct and chivalry of those who guard this beloved land!...an ideal SO NOBLE that it arouses in all of us a sense of pride, and yet, of humility! I strongly and honestly believe that Avonmore's own Jill Corey, whom I admire so greatly and so immensely as one of my three top favorite songbirds of all time, the other two being Walton-on-Thames's own Julie Andrews, England's musical queen, and London's own Dusty Springfield, another thrush from England, would be very proud of your service to America, and the sacrifices you made to keep us and our country free! Well done, Sergeant! Be thou at peace. SEMPER FI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!