THE WALL OF FACES

Taken so young...a hero to us all. We proudly share your story of service and sacrifice with the younger generations of our family. Your memory will live on through us all.

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. It saddens me so few have left remembrances for you here....surely you deserve better. May you rest in eternal peace.

Specialist Four Frederick Lee Beatty, Served with Battery B, 5th Battalion, 2nd Artillery Regiment, 23rd Artillery Group, Second Field Force, United States Army Vietnam.

Fire Support Base Blue was located near the Cambodian border in Tay Ninh Province, RVN. At 2:15 AM on February 23, 1971, the base was attacked by Viet Cong sappers. Using rocket-propelled grenades, they cut a large hole in the wire mesh surrounding the camp, and a band of approximately 20 VC sappers quickly slipped in and began throwing satchel charges all over the base. SP4 Frederick L. Beatty was on guard duty when the assault began and was the first killed by the enemy. The VC, wearing only shorts and small hats, covered themselves with charcoal from head to foot, even blackening their eyelids. They appeared to know the exact location of their objectives, and spent little time searching the compound for targets. One of the places the sappers tossed their charges was a hootch where the crew of a M42 “Duster” was sleeping. All five crewmen were killed in the blast. The lost soldiers included PFC Douglas J. Crawford, PFC Ronald J. Fisher, SSGT Genaro Garza, PFC Joseph B. Hart, and PFC Vincent J. Medjesky. A total of 23 Americans were medivacked when the attack was ended. Most of the sappers were killed during the attack, however, four were captured after they were found hiding in a bunker. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org, information provided by Edward Brady at thewall-usa.com, and “Threatened Overrun of FSB Blue Thwarted by Quick Reactions.” Castle Courier (a publication of the U.S. Army Engineer Command, Vietnam), Long Binh, RVN, April 5, 1971]

DEAR SPEC 4 BEATTY,
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AS A LIGHT AIR DEFENSE ARTILLERY CREWMEMBER. ARTILLERYMEN STILL HAVE A PLACE IN MY HEART. IT IS STILL THE CHRISTMAS SEASON.AND WE ARE THANKFUL FOR YOU. IT IS NEW YEAR, WHICH MAKES IT FAR TOO LONG FOR YOU TO HAVE BEEN GONE. WATCH OVER THE U.S.A., IT STILL NEEDS YOUR COURAGE.. GOD BLESS YOU. MAY THE SAINTS AND ANGELS BE AT YOUR SIDE. REST IN PEACE.