THE WALL OF FACES

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. The remembrance from William Bridger is touching and reflects his admiration and respect for you. As long as you are remembered you will remain in our hearts forever….

Dear Cap. Charles Rogers, Thank you for your service as a Rotary Wing Aviation Unit Commander. Saying thank you isn't enough, but it is from the heart. It is Agent Orange Awareness month. Time passes quickly. Please watch over America, it stills needs your strength, courage, guidance, and faithfulness, especially now. Rest in peace with the angels.

CPT Rogers served with the 57th AHC in Kontum RVN on his first tour in Vietnam. He was a great guy and great aviator as well. I was proud to have served with him.

David was a close family friend; so close we called him a cousin. As a young child, my father wasn't part of our lives. David came by our house often before his last tour in Vietnam, a substitute big brother for my Scout events or just throwing the football around. He was my hero and promised to return and teach me new football skills. He never made it back, but is with me every day. What a man and role model. I will always miss him!

On March 11, 1969, a French 75MM pack howitzer was fired by the Viet Cong (VC) into the 174th Assault Helicopter Company area at LZ Bronco (Duc Pho Air Field) and hit the company commander's hootch and the platoon leaders' hootch. The VC fired four rounds that night: one at the maintenance officer's hootch, one at MAJ Richard A. Brown's hootch, one at the platoon leaders' hootch, and one at the flight surgeon's hootch. Three officers were hit in the CO's hootch. CAPT Charles D. Rogers, who had been in the company only two days and was going to be the XO, was killed instantly by the round. MAJ Brown was severely wounded and died of his wounds on March 17th. The outgoing XO, MAJ Schmidt, was severely wounded and evacuated. An overflight of the area after the attack discovered that the maintenance officer's hootch, the CO's hootch, the platoon leaders' hootch, and the flight surgeon's hootch all lined up in a straight line. Because of the in-line targets, the VC did not have to change deflection, only elevation, of the weapon. [Taken from 174ahc.org]