THE WALL OF FACES

Dennis is buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Detroit, MI. PH

Do not stand at my grave and weep.
I am not there; I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow,
I am the diamond glints on snow,
I am the sun on ripened grain,
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning's hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there; I did not die.

Mary Frye – 1932

“We ran towards where the fire was coming, tattered by the elephant grass, until in a clearing lay a flak-jacketed, helmeted fellow Marine. His head lay in the lap of another grunt, while a Navy Corpsman, Unit One bag cast asunder having been searched for other remedies beyond the morphine syringe already protruding from Dennis’s left thigh, leaned feverishly on a compression bandage directly over the femoral artery, while a crimson fountain pumped in rhapsody with his heart besieged by surprise, disbelief and, ultimately, medical shock. It was Dennis Manning, who just days before had invited several of us to his wedding in Michigan, having just received a positive response to his proposal from his girl back home. We all were going to be there…it was understood...There was no way that the five of us wouldn’t be there...it was a pact. Now, as I knelt next to his left side, along his right thigh splayed open by a burst of three to five rounds from an AK-47…a massive wound laying open the entire thigh muscle from knee to hip, as surreal to me as it was to him, and, as perplexing to me as to the young Corpsman who, apparently, like me, had never seen anything like it before, and, consequently, didn’t know what to do beyond direct pressure, a prayer and a hope that none of this was real. Suddenly, for a moment, it seemed, he recognized me through glazed eyes and said, "Am I going to die?" I slipped my hand under the back of his head briefly, and drew him near as I smiled...As long as I live, never will I forget my response, as I summoned all my belief, courage and any remote vestige of spirituality left in me, and said, "Hey, man, you’re fine. You’re just going to head home early to start workin’ on the wedding. We’ll all be right behind you."

Perhaps the greatest interaction I ever had in my entire lifetime, which has been undeservingly much longer than his, was that brief smile of understanding that I received back from him at that moment. I made a pact, as I ran to encounter incoming fire, that someday I would return that moment of understanding to him. I'm pretty sure I still can, and I think I will...fairly soon. Peace, Dennis. We all love you and miss you. The world would have been a better place with your presence.

Although we never met personally, I want to thank you Dennis Carrol Manning, for your courageous and valiant service, faithful contribution, and your most holy sacrifice given to this great country of ours!

Your Spirit is alive--and strong, therefore Marine, you shall never be forgotten, nor has your death been in vain!

Again, thank you LCPL Dennis Carrol Manning, for a job well done!

REST IN ETERNAL PEACE MY MARINE FRIEND

Dennis was quiet, handsome, had a smile that girls loved and great hair. He was my friend in 9th grade phys ed. He was the 1st we lost to Vietnam. I didn't know him well, but everybody liked Dennis. We salute you, and miss you.