THE WALL OF FACES

Say not in grief he is no more, but live in thankfulness that he was.

Dear PFC Steven Morse, Thank you for your service as an Infantryman. Saying thank you isn't enough, but it is from the heart. It is 3rd Week of Advent, and this week means joy. Time passes quickly. Please watch over America, it stills needs your strength, courage and faithfulness, especially now. Rest in peace with the angels.

On November 22, 1967, a U.S. Army DeHavilland U-1A Otter (#57-6119) fixed-wing aircraft from the 54th Aviation Company crashed and burned on takeoff from runway east at Long Binh Army Airfield in Bien Hoa Province, RVN. The accident occurred as the Otter was leaving the airstrip when it hit a cable that was strung on a crane next to the runway. The pilot lost control of the plane and crashed. Personnel nearby heard the crash and came running, but the would-be rescuers had trouble approaching the wreck as it was totally engulfed. A total of nine U.S. personnel would die as a result of this accident. SP4 Thomas B. Allen, the crew chief on the flight, died in the crash along with passengers PVT Sheldon D. Bowler, PFC Marshall F. Freng, PFC Steven P. Morse, and PVT Allyson Y. Sasaki. Two other passengers, SP4 Woodrow D. Adler, a courier for Headquarters & Headquarters Company (HHC), 222nd Aviation Battalion, and PFC David L. Tasker, died four days later from burns they suffered in the accident. Military records regarding this incident listed two persons as the pilot of the aircraft. One of them, CW2 David A. Kreitzer, is the probable pilot as he served with the 54th Aviation Company and reportedly flew U-1 Otters during his first tour of Vietnam. Kreitzer succumbed on December 2, 1967, to burn injuries he suffered in the crash. The second pilot listed, MAJ Larry G. Powell, was a rotary wing (helicopter) pilot from the 45th Medical Company. Powell reportedly died after being evacuated to the U.S. Military burn unit at the 106th General Hospital in Yokohama, Japan. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org, vvmf.org, and thewall-usa.com, and information provided by Don Yaxley (May 2018)]

Although we've never met, I've been in touch with your dad, my Uncle a lot lately. I've thought of you often and just yesterday I spoke with your dad about you. He still misses you and will always love you, as will I.

The opportunity for me to ever have you in my life was taken from me. I am your eldest granddaughter. My name is Erica and I am twenty-two years old. Thinking of you and seeing your grave and your pictures makes me realize that part of me is missing. I may have never met you but I feel such a strong love for you. There are so many things I wish I could ask you. But most of all I wish I could have been lucky enough to have met you.
I love you grandpa.

Your granddaughter,
Erica Morse