THE WALL OF FACES

My father did not talk about the bad things that he saw in Vietnam very often. He was there that night in 1968 when Bien Hoa Air Base was attacked and I believe my father was with SSGT Berry upon his passing. My father only told this story to me twice and I tried to absorb every word of what he told me, so I will do my best.

My father was the barracks chief in a barracks that he and William shared. When the attack began, everyone threw on their gear and were heading out to bunkers to help defend the base. I believe there were explosions near the barracks that was raining debris down on the roof and creating tremendous noise. My father was encouraging his friend Bill (SSGT Berry) to get going and come with him, but he was not doing well. He was pale and a bit panicked. My father took him to a mess area and had him sit at a table. He encouraged him to try to relax and he handed him a beer to help him calm down. My father left him there encouraging him to follow when he was more relaxed. After some time, my father did a head count and noticed Bill was still missing. He ran back to where he left him and found that he had passed.

The event effected my father profoundly. I'm glad I am able to share the story. My father, David Johnson passed in 2009 after years of health issues due to his exposure to Rainbow Chemicals/Agent Orange.

I'm proud of both of these men.

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

At 3:00 AM on January 31, 1968, during the onset of the Tet Offensive, Bien Hoa Air Base, sixteen miles north of Saigon, RVN, was hit by a Viet Cong (VC) and North Vietnamese Army (NVA) mortar and rocket barrage followed by an attack on the eastern perimeter of the base. While base security moved to engage the VC force, NVA units infiltrated the perimeter in three different places and began firing on the base's III Corps Direct Air Support Center. An Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) security force cornered a group of VC/NVA in a supply shed and engaged them with recoilless rifle fire before U.S. Air Force Security Police arrived to help finish them off with grenades and rifle fire. At dawn, U.S. Army forces reached the base and engaged the remaining VC/NVA. Due to the battle raging at the east end of the runway, F-100 fighter operations were curtailed for most of the day while USAF, RVNAF, and U.S. Army forces fought the enemy. At 4:00 PM, two F-100 fighter aircraft were launched to the east through the groundfire with the intent of delivering ordnance on the battle raging on their own airbase. The actual strike was delayed because friendly forces were too close to the enemy forces. After about an hour of waiting, the separation between forces was still small but considered adequate for the F-100s to deliver their ordnance. Flight crew chiefs and armorers had their first chance to see their aircraft in action. The strike essentially ended the battle, reportedly the only time in USAF history that pilots conducted a controlled airstrike on their own airbase. American losses during the battle were four killed in action with another dying of a heart attack. The lost personnel included SSGT Ralph T. Berry, SGT James B. Des Rochers, CAPT Reginald V. Maisey Jr. (posthumously awarded the Air Force Cross for heroism), and A1C Edward G. Muse; SSGT William A. Berry suffered a fatal heart attack during the mortar barrage. Another twenty-six were wounded. VC/NVA losses were 137 killed and twenty-five captured. One A-37 light attack jet aircraft and one F-100 were destroyed while seventeen other aircraft were damaged. The bodies of the VC/NVA were buried in an unmarked mass grave on the edge of the base that was only uncovered in 2017. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and wikipedia.org]

Staff Sergeant William Arthur Berry, Served with the 616th Military Airlift Squadron, Military Airlift Command (MAC).

My mother and I went to a pop up wall by this organization and found his name. This is my great uncle, my mother's uncle, aka Uncle Bill.

My mother was 7 when he died in Vietnam, she still has his letter from 1968. From the letter, I could tell he was a funny man. Great Uncle Bill, I hope you're resting well. I wish you were still around to know you. We love and miss you.