THE WALL OF FACES

On the remembrance of your birthday, your sacrifice is not forgotten.

Semper Fortis

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. While all deaths in Vietnam are tragic that you died just two days after your 22nd birthday is especially so. May you rest in eternal peace.

Never forgotten.

Semper Fortis

Dear AN Wayne Michalak, Thank you for your service as an Aviation Machinist (Jet Mechanic) Airman on the USS ORISKANY. Saying thank you isn't enough, but it is from the heart. It is another autumn. Time passes quickly. Please watch over America, it stills needs your strength, courage and faithfulness, especially now. Rest in peace with the angels.

ADJAN Wayne A. Michalak was an aviation machinist serving on the USS Oriskany (CV-34). On December 13, 1967, the Oriskany was conducting Yankee Station operations in the waters off Vietnam when ADJAN Michalak was critically injured in a flight deck accident after he was drawn into the jet intake of a F-8 aircraft. Michalak was medivacked to the hospital ship USS Repose. He later succumbed to his injuries on February 4, 1968, at the 22nd Casualty Staging Flight at Da Nang Air Base in Quang Nam Province, RVN. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and information provided by John Serra at vvmf.org (December 2006)]