THE WALL OF FACES

I was there December 11, 1965 - Operation Harvest Moon. I will never forget. We were both in 'Echo' company. I carried an M-79 and you carried an M-14; we were in different platoons. We were friends but not close friends but we saw each other a lot. I created the below poster in tribute to you.

Thank you. Life sure has changed since December of 65.
You would’ve liked it now.
Thanks again

Dear LCPL Dennis Manning, Thank you for your service as a Rifleman. Saying thank you isn't enough, but it is from the heart. Time passes quickly, but it is an unusual time. Please watch over America, it stills needs your strength, courage, guidance and faithfulness. Rest in peace with the angels.

Denny wrote to me from Vietnam, and mailed the letter on his ship before he went ashore to fight his last battle on this side of life. It was post marked Dec 11, 1965. I was 17, he was 19 back then. His death devastated our entire family. I will never forget the "frozen scene" when we got the call. He and his brother were always a huge part of my childhood. We were so close. I was so small, around 5 or 6 and Denny would place me on his handle bars and deliver his newspapers. We celebrated every birthday, and Holiday together, along with his brother Duane. Dennis was the oldest, then Duane, then me. We watched 1940 horror flicks and we walked to candy stores and spent all we had. We walked to church, and to school together. We had a wonderful childhood. Detroit was our hometown. We had our own "our gang". I remember lying in the dirt along with Denny playing with a 100 green plastic soldiers, loosing my favorite marbles to them during our many marble games.

Semper Fi, Marine.