THE WALL OF FACES

Sgt Paul Belanger is buried at Saint Joseph's Cemetery in Biddeford, Maine.

I remember the day that Paul's passing was announced during our company's mail call. Both he and I drove the same roads for the 534th transportation company in 1969. His loss was but one of many - there is a hole in my sunshine that won't go away!

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. It saddens me so few have posted remembrances for you here...surely you deserve better. May you rest in eternal peace.

Sergeant Paul Edward Belanger, Served with the 534th Transportation Company, 7th Transportation Battalion, 48th Transportation Group, United States Army Support Command (Saigon), 1st Logistical Command, United States Army Vietnam.

On January 14, 1969, a convoy from the 48th Transportation Group departed Tay Ninh to return to Long Binh after having conducted a normal resupply mission. The convoy consisted of 40 vehicles in three March Units. At approximately 1530 hours, while negotiating Highway LTL-26 eight miles east of Tay Ninh City, Tay Ninh Province, RVN, the convoy came under small arms and rocket fire from the left side of the road. Four vehicles in the rear of March Unit 1 were disabled by the fire and the operators of those vehicles became casualties as or after their vehicles were pulled off to the side of the road. By pulling off the road, they enabled the vehicles behind them to proceed past to safety. One of the vehicles disabled in the kill zone was a 534th Transportation Company truck driven by SP4 Paul E. Belanger. He was killed in the encounter. A 352nd Transportation Company driver truck, SP4 Gary J. Guggenberger, was found to be missing after the engagement. Guggenberger was last seen firing his weapon alongside of the road after his vehicle was disabled. It was later learned that he had been captured by the enemy. Guggenberger was held as a POW for four years until being repatriated February 12, 1973. In 2018, he was residing in Minnesota. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and Lessons Learned, Headquarters, 48th Transportation Group (Motor Transport), Period Ending 31 January 1969]