THE WALL OF FACES

On Memorial Day - I remember Billy Presson. My dad escorted him home from Vietnam. I was only 5 or 6 but I have a memory of being at Kenlake with the Presson family.
My dad doesn’t write so well anymore, but this was his memory:

My dad Dan Roberts- relays this story- From notification that I had been requested by family to escort Bill back home until the burial was complete was about 10 days, might have been more. There were multiple floods of emotion during that time. But about Bill......what a fun guy!!!! He was “up” for anything and the more daring it was the more excited Bill was. Little wonder that he was a helicopter pilot. Bill and I were particularly close during the college Christmas holidays when virtually all our friends had left campus. One night we “ended up” on top of Wilson Hall.....I don’t recall the details other than we shouldn’t have been there. I was afraid of heights and wouldn’t go near the “waist high wall” around the perimeter. Bill straddled it with one leg hanging over the edge scaring me even more.....my fear was his thrill. May Bill RIP.....along with Jimmy Futrell and Ron Barlow. All three of whom were military aviators and taken away in aviation related events. All were my friends and all had worked in the summer as life guards at KY Lake.......that may not mean anything but it has always been significant to me.

The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotions and spends himself in a great worthy cause; who at the best, knows in the end triumph of high achievement and, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while caring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold, timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat. Theodore Roosevelt

Dear Cap. Billie Presson, Thank you for your service as a Rotary Wing Aviation Unit Commander - Helicopter Pilot. Saying thank you isn't enough, but it is from the heart. It is the end of Spring. Time passes quickly. Please watch over America, it stills needs your strength, courage and faithfulness, especially now. Rest in peace with the angels.

I was too young to know him but my mother spoke of him quite often as being a great person and cousin. When she came to visit me in Norfolk,while I was serving in the navy, one of the first things she wanted to do was make the trip to DC to find his name on the Memorial. After all those years I still remember her crying when we found it.

Mike, i Have not seen you in a while. Hope you are doing well. Take care. Troy

I am the youngest of two sons of Capt. Billie Presson. My name is Mike and I live in Fairhope, Al. My daughter told me about this page today. Thank you all for your kind words about my dad. I was 3 when he was killed and still miss him. I would love to speak with those who knew him.