THE WALL OF FACES

Say not in grief he is no more, but live in thankfulness that he was.

God bless you and rest in peace, Private First Class David L. Palmer. Hearing your story from overseas brought a tear to my eye, 20 years young making the perilous sacrifice. Gone but never forgotten!

Dear PFC David Palmer, Thank you for your service as a Field Artillery Basic. I researched you on the 51st anniversary of the start of your tour. Saying thank you isn't enough, but it is from the heart. It is Lent, and tomorrow is the last day of winter. Time passes quickly. Please watch over America, it stills needs your strength, courage and faithfulness, especially now. Rest in peace with the angels.

At 0827 hours on May 12, 1970, members of 3rd Platoon, Bravo Company, 4th Battalion, 11th Artillery, 11th Infantry Brigade, Americal Division, were securing a landing zone approximately three miles southwest of Duc Pho, Quang Ngai Province, RVN, when a booby-trapped 155mm round with several small arms rounds attached detonated. Eight personnel were killed in the blast and another eight were wounded. A total of three dustoffs (medical evacuation by helicopter) were required to remove the dead and wounded, the first and second completed at 0844 and 0850 hours, and the third at 1038 hours. The carnage from the explosion was devastating. One of the wounded suffered traumatic amputation of both legs above the knees and amputation of his left arm; another lost both legs below the knee. There were several others with assorted fragmentation wounds, and one with hearing loss. The names of those killed included SSGT Charles D. McMahan, SP4 Terrance L. Hood, SP4 Robert L. Lemons, SP4 Greg E. Weightman, CPL Robert E. Green, 2LT Robert H. Johnson, CPL Robert Childress, and PFC David L. Palmer. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and 6-11artillery.org]

David is buried at Sunset Lawn Memorial Park,Sacramento,CA.