THE WALL OF FACES

Some may think you are forgotten
Though on earth you are no more
But in our memory you are with us
As you always were before….

My brother…..forever my hero. May you Rest In Peace.

An excerpt from the book “Unlikely Warriors…The ASA’s Secret War in Viet Nam 1961-1973”
On Nov 26, 1967, three ASA soldiers from the 335th RRC were killed on Highway 4 near Xom Dua when the quarter-ton vehicle in which they were traveling was ambushed by the VC. The truck was hit by an enemy B40 recoilless rifleround at close range, followed by small arms and mortar fire. Among those killed were Sgt Diego Ramirez, Jr, 22 years old, from El Paso, Texas who was a radio teletype operator 05C.

Dear Sgt Diego Ramirez, Thank you for your service as a Radio Teletype Officer. Saying thank you isn't enough, but it is from the heart. Independence Day just passed. Time passes quickly. Please watch over America, it stills needs your strength, courage and faithfulness, especially now. Rest in peace with the angels.

SP5 Michael P. Brown, SGT Diego Ramirez Jr., and SFC Robert D. Taylor served with the 335th Radio Research Company. The Company was attached to the U.S. Army’s 9th Infantry Division and located at Bearcat Base near the village of Long Thanh in Dong Nai Province, RVN. However, Brown, Ramirez, and Taylor formed part of a 335th detachment at Dong Tam Base Camp, home of the 9th Infantry Division’s 2nd Brigade. On November 26, 1967, the three communications specialists were at Bearcat, probably to visit the PX to buy needed incidentals. They remained at the base playing cards with other 335th personnel until late in the day at which point they piled into a jeep for the return to Dong Tam. To attempt the long journey in a single vehicle outside of the Division perimeter in waning daylight was extremely risky. Normally, travel between the bases was performed by convoys with armed escorts and air cover. The gamble the three men took was reckless, and it cost them their lives. While traveling on Highway 4 in the vicinity of Xom Dua, a Viet Cong roadblock stopped or slowed their vehicle. The enemy then sent a rocket-propelled grenade smashing into their jeep. The VC next moved in and opened fire on the doomed Americans. A supply sergeant who was tasked with identifying them afterwards reported that the three Americans were killed by shotgun blasts. There was, however, numerous spent cartridge shells around their vehicle, indicating that the commo soldiers had fought back. The enemy made off with all their equipment and weapons. Their deaths sent shock waves through the 335th, as only one other 335th personnel would suffer a combat-related death in Vietnam. Taylor was posthumously promoted to Master Sergeant. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org, rinaldol.tripod.com, and information provided by Waylon Copeland, Jimmy Sasser, and Herbert Strange (January 2019)]

Diego I still think of you after all these years We served together I know you were a short timer I think you only had about 2 or 3 weeks left in country I live close to the Wall South in Pensacola I go ever November to say Hello I pray God has you in the palm of his hands