THE WALL OF FACES

You always seemed so self-assured and quite animated, even at St. Joseph's School. It is no wonder that you would choose to become a brave Marine during the Vietnam era. We lost so many classmates. May you Rest in Peace.
Sandy (Noeth) Davis

Dear Cpl Blaze Magyar, Thank you for your service as a Field Radio Operator. Your 75th birthday is soon, sad. Saying thank you isn't enough, but it is from the heart. Yesterday was the original Memorial Day, and it is important to remember you. Time passes quickly. Please watch over America, it stills needs your strength, courage, guidance and faithfulness. Rest in peace with the angels.

Semper Fi, Marine

On January 7, 1968, an enemy force of two battalions reinforced with sappers and local guerrillas effected a carefully-planned, coordinated attack on the Phu Loc District Headquarters, Combined Action Platoons (CAP) H-6 and H-7, 1/5 Battalion Command Post and Company D 1/5 outpost. The enemy sapper elements successfully penetrated the District Headquarters and CAP H-6, and completely overran CAP H-7. The attacks on the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines positions, however, were limited to attacks by fire with mortars and RPG-series rocket launchers. Enemy forces involved are believed to have been the 1st Battalion, 4th NVA Regiment, K4B Main Force Viet Cong Battalion, the C118 Local Force Company, the C19 Engineer Company and the C24 Sapper Company. Initial reports in the 5th Marines’ Operations Log indicated that CAP Hotel-6 had five dead and two missing; CAP Hotel-7 had seven dead and two missing; and the Army unit at the District Headquarters had one dead and four wounded. The 1st Battalion, 5th Marines Chronology provides additional information: “These incidents culminated with a series of coordinated attacks on the morning of January 7th. Commencing at approximately 0335 hours, the Phu Loc District Headquarters and CAP H5, CAP H6, and CAP H7 along Highway 1 were subjected to coordinated sapper and infantry assaults which the enemy supported with heavy mortar and B-40 rocket fire. Shortly thereafter, the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines Command Post was subjected to heavy mortar and recoilless rifle fire. The action continued through the night with the enemy maintaining pressure on the Battalion Command Post and on the Company D Command Post in an apparent attempt to prevent reinforcement. General assaults, meanwhile, were continued against CAP H6 and CAP H7 with both positions being overrun and largely destroyed. Three bridges were blown by the enemy during the course of this activity." Their Operations Log gave a higher casualty count for the actions at the two CAPs and the District HQ: 18 Marines and sailors dead, one soldier killed, and four men missing. When daylight came, the CAP Marines were able regain their positions and counted nineteen dead. They included CPL Blaze Magyar III, CPL Robert C. Wolf, CPL Robert Nielsen, LCPL Brian P. Ahern, LCPL James Joseph, LCPL Danny R. Vance, HN Dan T. Wards, PFC James M. Inman, PFC Joseph C. Wiar, SSGT Claude H. Dorris, CPL Robert C. Rusher, LCPL John C. Calhoun, LCPL Thomas N. Brewer, LCPL David W. Dyer, LCPL Terence P. Jordan, LCPL Allan Mendell, PFC William A. Markarian, PFC Arthur Miller, and SP5 Louis W. Branch (U.S. Army). The mortar and rocket attacks on the 1/5 positions had caused seven other deaths. They were SMAJ Lawrence K. Sepulveda, CPL Thomas R. Avila, LCPL Lawrence R. Walton, LCPL Paul H. Webb, PFC Samuel F. Hollifield, PFC Michael L. Wilson, and PVT Kenneth S. Smith. There was one Marine from Hotel-7 missing and believed captured. In one of the terrible mistakes inevitable in war, a mutilated body was identified as that of LCPL Steven D. Nelson. His family was notified of his death, while another Marine family was advised their Marine was missing and believed captured. On January 21st, LCPL Nelson returned to friendly hands. He had been captured and escaped when his guard fell asleep. [Taken from the virtualwall.org]

My husband, who is a Viet Nam Veteran, and I were visiting Washington in July of 2001 when we chose to view the Memorial. We couldn't do anything but hold each other and weep. We did though randomly choose to do a rubbing close to where we were standing. After all these years we still have it in our possession and think about the young man who sacrificed his life. If no one has sent the family a rubbing we would love to pass this on to them. Thank You