THE WALL OF FACES

Remember to save for them a place inside of you, and save one backward glance when you are leaving, for the places they can no longer go...

China Beach was an in-country U.S. Armed Forces R&R (“rest and recreation”) Center on the ocean side of the Tien Sha Peninsula between Monkey Mountain and Marble Mountain, eight miles north of Da Nang in Quang Nam Province, RVN. A place for American GI’s to relax and forget about the war for a few days, the beach reportedly had rough surf and a powerful riptide. Furthermore, the water was teeming with marine life including sharks, six-foot barracudas, and venomous sea snakes. Nevertheless, the ten kilometer (6.0 miles) stretch of beach was a popular location for Marines, soldiers, airmen, and sailors to unwind. Even before its development as an R&R center, it was frequented by servicemen stationed nearby. A2C Louis G. Onohan served with the U.S. Air Force’s Detachment 2, 6925th Security Group installed at Monkey Mountain Facility on the peak of Son Tra Mountain overlooking Da Nang Harbor and China Beach. The Group established a signals intelligence (SIGINT) base on the mountain in 1962 to intercept North Vietnamese HF and VHF communications. On April 24, 1964, Onohan was recreational swimming at China Beach when he reportedly drowned. His body was recovered. Onohan was twenty-one years old. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and wikipedia.org]

Taken from The Hammond Times (Hammond, IN), May 1, 1964, courtesy of Amanda Horton, Hammond Public Library, Hammond, IN.

AMN Louis George Onohan is buried in the Saint John Saint Joseph Catholic Cemetery in Hammond, IN.

Your sacrifice is not forgotten.

HOOAH

Dear A2C Louis Onohan, Thank you for your service with the 6924th Radio Mobile. Saying thank you isn't enough, but it is from the heart. Lent has begun. Time passes quickly. Please watch over America, it stills needs your strength, courage and faithfulness, especially now. Rest in peace with the angels.