THE WALL OF FACES

Dear 1LT Richard Joseph Rudolph, sir

As an American, I would like to thank you for your service and for your sacrifice made on behalf of our wonderful country. The youth of today could gain much by learning of heroes such as yourself, men and women whose courage and heart can never be questioned.

May God allow you to read this, and may He allow me to someday shake your hand when I get to Heaven to personally thank you. May he also allow my father to find you and shake your hand now to say thank you; for America, and for those who love you.

With respect, and the best salute a civilian can muster for you, Sir

Curt Carter

Richard is buried at Marietta National Cemetery.

Richard was my first real boyfriend in Hannibal, MO when we were in the 7th grade. He sat next to me in a math class where the teacher was greatly feared among the students. She seemed to pick on Richard and me a lot, I guess maybe she knew we were an "item." Richard moved away and I never knew until a few years ago that he had been killed in Vietnam. On June 5, 2000, shortly before midnight I visited a website, not this one, but a similar one and found that he indeed was a casualty. He died on June 6, 1968; ironically I saw this information within an hour of the anniversary of his death. He was a wonderful, funny young man and I am so sorry to learn that the information given to me was true. So many good men taken before their time. May it never happen again!