THE WALL OF FACES

Lt. Colonel Clarence Finley Blanton was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his heroism and extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight. He served as an Operations Staff Officer and Navigator. He was assigned to the 1043RD RADAR EVAL SQDN, 7TH AIR FORCE.
See https://airforce.togetherweserved.com/

Lt. Colonel Clarence Finley Blanton was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for Valor, with Combat Distinguishing Device (V), for his exemplary courage in action. He served as an Operations Staff Officer and Navigator. He was assigned to the 1043RD RADAR EVAL SQDN, 7TH AIR FORCE.
See https://airforce.togetherweserved.com/

Do not stand at my grave and weep
I am not there; I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow,
I am the diamond glints on snow,
I am the sun on ripened grain,
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning's hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there; I did not die

About 67 years ago, I knew you by you middle name as uncle Finlay. When I was about 5 you visited us in Florida and I remember you showing me how to make paper airplanes. I grew up, earned a couple of degrees, and also served as a USAF officer during the Vietnam war, but never knew about your ultimate sacrifice for our country until recently when it was declassified. God bless you Uncle Finlay.

On March 11, 1968, North Vietnamese Army sappers overran the U.S. Tactical Air Control and Navigation (TACAN) site, also known as Lima Site 85, located on the summit of Phou Pha Mountain in Houa Phan Province, Laos. During the early morning attack, PAVN sappers scaled the mountain’s eastern slopes and initiated the assault on the American facility. Shortly after 8:00 AM, Air America helicopters, covered by USAF A-1 Skyraiders, attempted to evacuate the 19 personnel at the site. Only eight Americans were extracted, one of which died enroute to Udorn Air Base in Thailand. The engagement was the largest single ground combat loss of United States Air Force members during the Vietnam War. A total of 12 airmen were missing or killed in the fighting on Phou Pha; eleven were killed or missing on the ground, and one, CMS Richard L. Etchberger, was wounded after getting on the evacuation helicopter, bleeding to death during the flight. In addition, a USAF pilot, COL Donald E. Westbrook, was shot down in his A-1E Skyraider and killed while searching for survivors. By mid-day on March 11th, the USAF mission changed from recovery of the missing personnel to the bombing of Lima Site 85 to destroy any captured radar equipment. The 95 strike sorties over six days may have had the effect of obliterating some of the bodies of U.S. personnel left behind at the site. The still unaccounted-for airmen of the 1043rd Radar Evaluation Squadron include MSGT James H. Calfee, SSGT James W. Davis, SSGT Henry G. Gish, TSGT Willis R. Hall, TSGT Melvin A. Holland, SSGT Herbert A. Kirk, SGT David S. Price, TSGT Donald K. Springsteadah, and SSGT Don F. Worley. TSGT Patrick L. Shannon’s remains were repatriated April 7, 2003, and positively identified on October 31, 2005. LTC Clarence F. Blanton’s remains were accounted for on July 26, 2012. COL Westbrook, the A-1E pilot, was repatriated September 3, 1998, and his remains were positively identified on February 14, 2007. CMS Etchberger, fatally wounded on the rescue aircraft, was awarded the Air Force Cross, which was upgraded to the Medal of Honor on September 21, 2010. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org, limasite85.us, and wikipedia.org]