THE WALL OF FACES

Dear Cpl Gary Padilla, Thank you for your service as a Flight Qualified Aircraft Maintenance Apprentice. I researched you on your 50th anniversary, sad. Saying thank you isn't enough, but it is from the heart. Lent has begun, and today is the last day of standard time. Time passes quickly. Please watch over America, it stills needs your strength, courage and faithfulness, especially now. Rest in peace with the angels.

Thoughts of you as I watched this Ken Burns series on Vietnam. I remember we had the fastest time in the 50yard dash

Gary is buried at Sacramento Memorial Lawn Cemetery, Sacramento,CA.

PFC Gary T. Padilla was a flight-qualified aircraft maintenance apprentice serving with the 174th Assault Helicopter Company. PFC Padilla came to the 174th after having been in the Infantry for 5 months. On March 3, 1971, he was the gunner on a U.S. Army UH-1 “Dolphin” helicopter (#68-15639) from the 174th Assault Helicopter Company, piloted by CAPT John Bishop. The aircraft was part of an afternoon combat assault from Khe Sanh to LZ Lolo in Laos during Lam Son 719. The aircraft was carrying seven ARVN soldiers at the time. Due to the enormous amount of smoke and confusion in the landing zones and intense enemy fire, the aircraft erroneously landed to smoke that had been thrown by the NVA. The Dolphin was shot down and was destroyed. PFC Padilla was the only casualty. Co-pilot 1LT Carl Flemer escaped and evaded 10 miles back to an ARVN firebase near the border and was reported alive to the 174th by the end of March 3rd. It was a few days later before the survival of CAPT Bishop and crew chief SP4 Larry Rhodes was learned. Padilla's body was recovered when the area had been secured by the ARVN. He was posthumously promoted to corporal. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and 174thahc.org]

Gary,

High school buddy. Remembering you on Memorial Day, and honoring you every time we visit Washington D.C.'s Vietnam Memorial.

Albert