THE WALL OF FACES

Warrant Officer Eric Emanuel Bergquist, Served with the 57th Assault Helicopter Company, 52nd Aviation Battalion, 17th Aviation Group, 1st Aviation Brigade, United States Army Vietnam.

I am so sorry you lost your life! But I thank you so much for serving our awesome country! My best friend Henry John Roy also lost his life that day in Vietnam. You were so young and yet you were already serving your country. I live in Houston and I'm so proud to have Folks like you that came from my home town! Rest in peace sweet man!

DEAR WARRANT OFFICER BERQUIST,
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AS AN UTILITY/OBSERVATION HELICOPTER PILOT. IT IS 2017, WHICH MAKES IT FAR TOO LONG FOR YOU TO HAVE BEEN GONE. IT IS ALSO PRESIDENTS' DAY WEEKEND. WE APPRECIATE ALL YOU HAVE DONE, AND YOUR SACRIFICE. WATCH OVER THE U.S.A., IT STILL NEEDS YOUR COURAGE.. GOD BLESS YOU. MAY THE SAINTS AND ANGELS BE AT YOUR SIDE. REST IN PEACE.

Dear WO Eric Emanuel Bergquist, 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

The 57th AHC's unit history states the monsoon weather had forced many mission cancellation during the month. Four slicks had departed for a mission and, after accomplishing the mission, header back for Kontum. While enroute the ceiling lowered to 300 feet in rain. Three of the ships made it back safely but the fourth, piloted by WO Eric Bargquist and 1LT James Carr, went IFR and had initiated a surveillance radar approach to the field. On a three mile final to runway 28, contact was lost on radar. An immediate search was begun and, before the weather forced the search to a halt, wreckage was found burning approximately 100 meters below the top of a ridgeline. The two pilots, along with the CE, SP4 Thomas Hinson, and doorgunner, PFC Terry Dees, died in the crash. [Taken from vhpa.org]