THE WALL OF FACES

Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV) Mobile Advisory Teams provided training to the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) and territorial units of the Regional and Popular Forces. Teams generally consisted of two officers, three enlisted men, and an ARVN interpreter. Their primary mission was to advise and instruct the Vietnamese units on field fortifications, barrier systems, indirect fire support, and small unit operations with emphasis on night operations and ambushes, patrols, weapons employment, and emergency medical care. On February 9, 1965, three MACV advisors from Team 88 were killed and a fourth captured after the South Vietnamese home guardsmen they were training deserted their post which was then attacked by a Viet Cong (VC) force. The outpost, a fortification three kilometers (1.8 miles) northeast of Duc Phong Airfield in Phuoc Long Province, RVN, was pounded by 57mm recoilless rifle and mortar fire before the VC launched its ground assault. The inexperienced home guards were prompted to leave by loudspeakers calling out in the evening darkness that the guerrillas only wanted “to kill the Americans” and the rest could go freely if they left their weapons. About 130 Vietnamese and mountain tribesmen heeded the admonishment and fled. The Americans and five tribesmen who remained at their side withstood an assault by an estimated 70 insurgents. They defended the position until their ammunition was expended, then were overrun and killed by the VC. The following day, an ARVN unit was inserted into the area and learned that an American had been observed being held captive in the vicinity of Duc Phong. By mid-afternoon, the ARVN unit recaptured the camp and recovered the remains of three American advisors. They were CPT Carlton J. Holland, SSG Emmett J. Bryant, and PFC John W. Malapelli. Holland was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for heroism. SP4 James H. McLean was believed captured uninjured and reportedly last seen in prisoner camps in 1966; however, his name never appeared on lists of those who died in captivity, and he was not freed in 1973 in the general prisoner release. McLean was declared dead in 1978. He was promoted to Master Sergeant during the time he was missing. [Sourced from coffeltdatabase.org, pownetwork.org, and “Three G.I.’s Killed by Vietcong After Home Guard Unit Fled.” The New York Times (New York, NY), February 14, 1965]

Taken from The New York Times (New York, NY), February 14, 1965.

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. It remains my fervent hope you will be returned home after the passage of so many years.

Never forget.

HOOAH

Master Sergeant James Henry McLean was awarded the Prisoner of War Medal. He served as a Medical NCO (Combat Medic) and was assigned to the 48TH ARVN INFANTRY, ADV TEAM 88, HQ, MACV ADVISORS. He is believed to have been captured on 9 Feb 1965 and remains listed as missing in action.
See http://www.virtualwall.org/dm/McleanJH01a.htm