THE WALL OF FACES

Today, October 2nd 2021, I visited the WALL and found you name…Remebering when you, me Lt Laing, Jonesy, went thru trading together and went to Vietnam together. Remebering all the patrols we went on and then that faitfall night you left us to look for you all night long and into the rest off the following day..until two days later when you were found. To this day I still remember you. RIP my shipmate.

Today, October 2nd 2021, I visited the WALL and found you name…Remebering when you, me Lt Laing, Jonesy, went thru trading together and went to Vietnam together. Remebering all the patrols we went on and then that faitfall night you left us to look for you all night long and into the rest off the following day..until two days later when you were found. To this day I still remember you. RIP my shipmate.

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. The remembrance from Walter Weddell is moving. As long as you are remembered you will always be with us....

BM1 Kemper S. Billings was a Boatswain Mate serving on the U.S. Navy Swift Boat PCF-56 from PCF Division 102, Task Force-115, U.S. Naval Forces, Vietnam. At 1:40 PM on October 29, 1966, PCF-56 lost crewman Billings over the side while transiting the Hue River mouth in heavy surf conditions. An intensive search by aircraft and two other Swift Boats failed to locate his body. At 7:30 AM on October 31, 1969, Regional Force/Popular Force troops discovered Billing’s body on the beach. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org]

DEAR BOATSWAIN'S MATE BILLINGS,
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AS A BOATSWAIN'S MATE 1ST CLASS. WE ARE IN A BLIZZARD. WE ARE HOME AND HAVE THE TIME TO THINK ABOUT THOSE OF YOU WHO PUT IT ALL ON THE LINE FOR US. IT HAS BEEN FAR TOO LONG FOR ALL OF YOU TO HAVE BEEN GONE. WE APPRECIATE ALL YOU HAVE DONE, AND YOUR SACRIFICE. WATCH OVER THE U.S.A., IT STILL NEEDS YOUR COURAGE.. GOD BLESS YOU. MAY THE ANGELS BE AT YOUR SIDE. REST IN PEACE. MANY OF US HAVE BEGUN OUR JOURNEY TO EASTER. YOU ARE ALL IN OUR PRAYERS.