THE WALL OF FACES

Never forgotten.

HOOAH

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. We should be forever thankful for the sacrifices of you and so many others to ensure the freedoms we so often take for granted.

Dear Cpl Terry McDonnell, Thank you for your service as an Infantryman. Your 51st anniversary is in 4 days, sad. Saying thank you isn't enough, but it is from the heart. Time passes quickly, but our world needs help. Please watch over America, it stills needs your strength, courage, guidance and faithfulness. Rest in peace with the angels.

On August 15, 1969, a U.S. Army helicopter UH-1D (tail number 66-00993) from the 174th Assault Helicopter Company was trail in a flight of four helicopters with the mission of putting infantrymen on the ground to take out an enemy .51 caliber anti-aircraft gun that had been firing on aircraft going in and out of LZ San Juan Hill, a mountain-top fire support base (FSB) located about 10-15 statute miles to the west of Duc Pho, Quang Ngai Province (I Corps), RVN. The gun could not be knocked out by artillery or air strikes and a decision was made to put 11th Brigade infantrymen on the ground to take out the gun because it was constantly being moved. During the mission to destroy the weapon it was used against helicopter 993. The enemy fire was intense and concentrated, causing the tail boom to be severed in flight, resulting in mast bumping and main rotor separation. The helicopter crashed on a side of a hill and rolled on fire down to the bottom of a ravine where it burned. There were no survivors. The four lost crewmen included aircraft commander WO1 Robert H. Shields II, pilot WO1 John M. Bozinski, crew chief SP4 Alejo Del Valle-Sanchez, and gunner PFC Johnnie Graham Jr. The six lost infantrymen were SP4 David B. Lentz, SP4 Raymond G. Masse, CPL Terry K. McDonell, SP4 Ronnie L. Robertson, CPL John G. Smith, and CPL William H. Somerville. [Taken from vhpa.org and 174ahc.org]

Dear CPL Terry Keith McDonell, 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, and the best salute a civilian can muster for you, Sir

Curt Carter