THE WALL OF FACES

SP4 George Winston Morgan is buried in the Cove Haven Cemetery in Lexington, KY.

Your sacrifice is not forgotten.

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

Dear Sp4 George Morton, Thank you for your service as a Heavy Vehicle Driver. Your 52nd anniversary is in 3 days, sad. 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 December 17, 1968, 39 vehicles of the 48th Transportation Group, in two March Units, departed Long Binh enroute to Dau Tieng on a normal resupply mission. Military police jeeps and tactical vehicles were interspersed among the convoy. Air cover was also provided. All Stake and Platform trailers (S&P’s) in the convoy were loaded with ammunition, while the 2 1/2-ton truck carried a load of potatoes. At 10:50 AM, on Route 239, approximately 5 miles west of Dau Tieng, the second March Unit began receiving approximately 15 rounds of 60mm and 82mm mortar fire. The first March Unit was not hit and continued to Dau Tieng unscathed. The terrain in the ambush area, although brush-filled with small rolling hillocks, was relatively open and did not seem a very likely location for an ambush. The 4th vehicle in the unit was hit by a mortar or RPG round (rocket-propelled grenade), causing the ammunition to burst into flames and setting the canvas cab top on fire. The driver, seeing that he could not drive the vehicle out of the kill zone because of the flames in the truck cab, moved forward as far as possible before running the vehicle off the right side of the road. He dismounted and took cover in a ditch on the left side of the road. Vehicles 5, 6, and 7 proceeded past the burning ammunition truck and made it safely to Dau Tieng. Vehicle 8 received a direct hit in the engine compartment from an unknown caliber round. It stopped the engine and wounded the driver, and he was unable to pull the vehicle completely off the road. The driver took cover in the ditch and was later evacuated to Dau Tieng. It is not known exactly what halted the remaining 5 task vehicles because five of the occupants were killed; three of the occupants were wounded and were evacuated. The original March Unit Commander’s Jeep broke down earlier and was being towed by a bobtail in the trail party; therefore, the commander and assistant were in the same Jeep, which was the last vehicle in March Unit 2. The Jeep was hit by an RPG round near the left front headlight but was only forced to stop when the 2 1/2-ton truck directly in front of it had stopped. All of the Jeep occupants dismounted and took cover as did the men in the 2 1/2-ton truck. However, it appeared that the 2 1/2-ton truck had been hit by something which wounded both men riding in the truck. Two of the Jeep occupants and one of the 2 1/2-ton truck occupants were subsequently killed. The enemy, estimated at battalion strength, was located on both sides and from 15 to 150 meters from the road, covering a 1200 meter kill zone. RPG, mortar, recoilless rifle, automatic weapons, and small arms fire were directed at the convoy. Approximately 2 minutes after the ambush was initiated, effective friendly artillery fire began to fall on enemy positions, and, within 12 minutes, at least one enemy mortar position had been knocked out. Gunships and tactical aircraft were employed against the enemy within a matter of minutes. Charlie Company, 2/22 Infantry, Bravo Company, 1/27 Infantry, and Bravo Troop, 3/4 Cavalry were rushed to the scene. Although the ambush element broke contact at about 1:00 PM, 25th Infantry Division units were able with supporting aircraft to maintain contact until 5:35 PM. A total of 2,171 rounds of artillery alone were fired in direct support of the convoy during the ambush. The 48th Transportation Group suffered seven men killed in action and five men wounded in the engagement. The seven lost Group members included SGT Richard G. Drake, 1LT James R. Hammersla, SP4 Thomas M. Kupiec, SP4 George W. Morton, PFC Frank N. Smith, PFC Robert F. Stockard, and SP4 Gerald J. Szoszorek. Stockard was posthumously promoted to Corporal. Six 5-ton tractors, six 12-ton S&P's, one 2 1/2 ton truck, and one jeep from 48th Group wore combat losses. Enemy losses were calculated at 52 KlA (by body count) and 59 KBA (killed by artillery [possible]). [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and Lessons Learned, Headquarters, 48th Transportation Group (Motor Transport), Period Ending 31 January 1969]

pic is the 534 th motor pool long ben virt nam of me