THE WALL OF FACES

May you Never be forgotten , I will see you on Fiddlers Green my brother.
Alan Benoit U.S. Army, Troop C, 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry, 1st Infantry Division
1967

IN REMEMBRANCE OF THIS MOST HEROIC

UNITED STATES ARMY SOLDIER

WHOSE NAME SHALL LIVE FOREVER MORE


SERGEANT

DONALD RUSSELL LONG


served as a


RECONNAISSANCE SPECIALIST

with

TROOP C

1st SQUADRON

4th CAVALRY REGIMENT

" PREPARED AND LOYAL "

1st INFANTRY DIVISION

" THE BIG RED ONE "



and was a

posthumous recipient

of the following

military decorations

and service medals


ARMY MEDAL OF HONOR

PURPLE HEART

ARMY GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL

NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL

VIETNAM SERVICE MEDAL with 2 bronze stars

REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM CAMPAIGN SERVICE MEDAL



TODAY HE RESTS

IN HONORED GLORY IN

UNION BAPTIST CHURCH CEMETERY

BLACKFORK

LAWRENCE COUNTY, OHIO




YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN

NOR SHALL YOU EVER BE




R E M E M B R A N C E




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FORT RILEY NEWS

LONG GYM NAMESAKE HONORED AHEAD OF CASING

21 April 2015

About 10,000 Soldiers walk, run or drive past Fort Riley’s Long Fitness Center every day as they traverse their way around Custer Hill.

Not many know the history behind the gym’s name but troopers of the 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, do.

On 30 June 1966, in South Vietnam, Sergeant Donald Russell Long and the men of the squadron’s Troops B and C were conducting a reconnaissance operation in the dense jungles when they were ambushed by a concealed Viet Cong regiment reinforced with mortars, recoilless rifles and machine guns.

During the battle, Long left his armored personnel carrier and, under enemy fire, carried wounded men to evacuation helicopters before continuing to fight.

“ When the enemy threatened to overrun a disabled carrier nearby, Sgt. Long again disregarded his own safety to help the severely wounded crew to safety,” according to the Medal of Honor citation. “ As he was handing arms to the less seriously wounded and reorganizing them to press the attack, an enemy grenade was hurled onto the carrier deck.

“ Immediately recognizing the imminent danger, he instinctively shouted a warning to the crew and pushed to safety one man who had not heard his warning over the roar of battle.

“ Realizing that these actions would not fully protect the exposed crewmen from the deadly explosion, he threw himself over the grenade to absorb the blast and thereby saved the lives of eight of his comrades at the expense of his life.”

It was that heroism and selfless duty that inspired leaders of the 1st Sqdn., 4th Cav. Regt. to commission artwork honoring Long by artist Shaddy Safadi and offer prints to their Soldiers and alumni.

One of those veterans was the troop’s senior noncommissioned officer during the battle, according to information from the squadron, who purchased additional prints to send to two Soldiers Long saved that day.

The squadron is Long’s family, Lt. Col. Fred Dente, Quarter Horse commander, said.

Officials are working with The Congressional Medal of Honor Society to track down Long’s relatives, but “ we’ve taken on the responsibility of remembering him and honoring his service,” Dente said.

Long’s Medal of Honor citation is astounding and inspirational to every one of the troopers and it motivated them every day to make themselves better, he went on to say.

The move to further honor Long, who was 26 at the time of his death, was one of the final symbolic acts by the squadron before its April 15 casing.

The 1st Sqdn., 4th Cav. Regt., will not go away, but reorganize on Fort Riley under the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team.

The brigade’s 4th Sqdn., 4th Cav. Regt. will be re-designated as the 1st Sqdn., 4th Cav. Regt., later this year, according to information from the brigade.

The Quarter Horse squadron stood up in 2006 when the 4th IBCT activated at Fort Riley. The brigade’s colors were cased during a ceremony on 2 April ahead of its June inactivation. The inactivation was first announced in July 2013 and, according to information from the 1st Inf. Div., was part of the Army’s ongoing restructuring process.

Leaders made 499 of the prints available to squadron veterans, and presented No. 001 to Long Fitness Center during a 31 March ceremony.

The print and a copy of Long’s Medal of Honor citation hangs in the facility that bears his name.

The dedication was a moment for troopers of the squadron to stop and think about where they’ve been and where they’re going and the things that are timeless, Dente said.

“ It’s not the type of vehicle that we’re on, it’s not the mission set, it’s not the Afghanistan or Iraq rotations,” he said. “ It’s the actions of guys like Sgt. Long that are timeless in our squadron.”


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11 JULY 1999

Sergeant Donald Russell Long, Served with C Troop, 1st Squadron, 4th Calvary Regiment, 1st Infantry Division.

You were one of the brave that answered the call. You honored us by your service and sacrifice. We now honor you each time we stand and sing the words “THE LAND OF THE FREE AND THE HOME OF THE BRAVE”. Rest in Peace and Honor Donald.

Dear SGT Donald Russell Long, 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