THE WALL OF FACES

Rembering you this Memorial Day. Think of you often and sharing my memories of you with my grandchildren. Your niece, Karla

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. As long as you are remembered you will always be with us.....

Specialist Four Merlin Gail Beer, Served with the 2nd Platoon, Company B, 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, United States Army Vietnam.

Taken from the Geneva Herald (Geneva, IN), November 20, 1969, courtesy of Laura Schwartz, Geneva Library Branch Manager, Geneva, IN.

SP4 Merlin G. Beer was an infantryman serving with 2nd Platoon, B Company, 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division. On November 11, 1969, SP4 Beer’s unit was conducting a search and destroy operation in an area known as “The Iron Triangle,” a Viet Cong stronghold in Binh Duong Province, RVN. During the mission, B Company would patrol during the daylight hours, then set up ambushes at night. The ambushes were placed along paths frequented by the enemy. Beer reportedly would set up his Claymore mine so that it was tripwire activated (uncontrolled), meaning that it was activated by enemy personnel instead of the use of a firing device. On the morning of the 11th, Beer went to retrieve his Claymore when he somehow activated the mine, resulting in an explosion which took his life. A medic immediately rushed to him, but he had already expired. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and information provided by George Moriarty (December 2017)]