THE WALL OF FACES

"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again, who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who at best, knows the triumph of high achievement; and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat."
-Theodore Roosevelt, "Citizen in a Republic", April 23, 1910

Private First Class Alvin Adikai Jr., Served with the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, United States Army Vietnam.

Alvin and I were assigned to the Communications Platoon with HHC 2nd Bn. 502nd Inf. 101st Airborne Division, Camp Eagle, Hue, Vietnam. Since the platoon was only allowed 20 communications soldiers and there was 40 of us, 20 soldiers were sent to the Security Plt. and sent to a Firebase. Alvin was killed in March 1971 while I was on R&R with my family in Guam. My heart was broken when I found out about his death! Rest In Peace my brother till we meet again.

Mai Loc Camp was a U.S. Army and Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) base located west of Quang Tri in Quang Tri Province, RVN. During the early part of 1971, daily mine sweeps were conducted from Mai Loc on Highway QL-9 all the way to Highway 1. On March 14, 1971, an XM708 ¾-ton Dump Truck mine sweep vehicle was carrying an Engineer minesweeping team with some 101st Airborne personnel for security. The truck also carried four ARVN hitchhikers it picked up. Reportedly, the ranking engineer decided after partially completing the mission to board the dismounted crew with mine detectors and drive the rest of the way to Highway 1. While negotiating a curve in the road, the vehicle detonated a mine. The powerful blast, apparently from a command-detonated anti-tank mine, flipped the vehicle onto its roof. The M60 gunners on top of the cab were thrown off and the passengers riding in the bed violently ejected. Three of the ARVNs and the U.S. driver, SP4 Randy M. Rigsby of B Company, 326th Engineer Battalion, were killed. Four other Americans were injured. One of wounded, PFC Alvin Adikai Jr. of Headquarters & Headquarters Company (HHC), 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry, later died of his injuries. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org, vvmf.org, and information provided by Norm Friedman (November 2019)]

Alvin, You are remembered. Dine' Warrior.