THE WALL OF FACES

CWO John W. Mursch was a member of A Troop, 7th Squadron, 17th Air Cavalry, 1st Aviation Brigade. In June 1970, CWO Mursch was on his second tour of Vietnam, having just returned from a 30-day leave, and extended his tour by six months. Shortly after his arrival, Mursch was assigned a mission which required his aircraft to stage out of Dak To II. On the flight up, Mursch, against policy, took his AH-1G attack helicopter for a low-level run up a highway. The Troop Commander witnessed the low-level antics, and upon completion of the day’s mission, grounded Mursch for thirty days. During the time Mursch was grounded, he was put in charge of several different details. One of them was to supervise the burning of vegetation around the perimeter of the Camp Holloway air base, particularly in the area about the heliport area known as the "Christmas Tree." On a day in late June or early July, Mursch was performing this duty with several soldiers and a M49C tanker truck full of JP4 fuel. The practice was to hose an area down with JP4, move the vehicle away, then ignite the vegetation. A mishap occurred, and a fire caused the tanker to explode. Mursch was critically burned over most of his body. He was evacuated to a U.S. military hospital in Pleiku where he succumbed to his injuries July 8, 1970. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and information provided by Rick Brooks at vhpa.org]

Dear CWO John William Mursch, sir

As an American, I would like to thank you for your service and for your sacrifice made on behalf of our wonderful country. The youth of today could gain much by learning of heroes such as yourself, men and women whose courage and heart can never be questioned.

May God allow you to read this, and may He allow me to someday shake your hand when I get to Heaven to personally thank you. May he also allow my father to find you and shake your hand now to say thank you; for America, and for those who love you.

With respect, Sir

Curt Carter

Always Remembered....Never Forgotten????

I will always hold a special place in my heart for you. Thank you, John...You gave the ultimate sacrifice. Missed by many every day.

A kind man...He loved life, his family, and his Country.