THE WALL OF FACES

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. You died at 18 years of age. I am 74 and have lived a long and fulfilling life. It is tragic you never had that same opportunity. May you rest in eternal peace.

My name is Robert kirk my aunt Doris Johnson was Tommy's mother proud to have heard stories about you r.i.p

Thank you for your service uncle!

Dear PFC Thomas Ruff, Thank you for your service as an Antitank Assaultman. Saying thank you isn't enough, but it is from the heart. Halloween is next weekend. Time moves quickly. Please watch over America, it stills needs your strength, courage, guidance and faithfulness, especially now. Rest in peace with the angels.

On May 8, 1967, the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) tried to overrun the Marine position at Con Thien. The outpost, two miles from the DMZ, was on a hill 158 meters high in the middle of a red mud plain. At 2:55 AM, a green flare signaled the beginning of a punishing 300-round mortar and artillery attack. Enemy units breached a defensive wire, and small elements moved inside. At 4:00 AM, a reinforced NVA battalion attacked through the breach in the wire. Engineers supporting the Marines engaged in bitter hand-to-hand fighting. With reinforcements, the Marines halted the enemy penetration and sealed off the break in the wire just before daylight. Forty-four Marines were killed and one hundred ten wounded; three Navy corpsmen and two Army personnel were also killed. The lost 3rd Division Marines included: (A Co, 1/4) SGT Floyd L. Amos, PFC William M. Cain, PFC Charles W. Daut, LCPL Michael P. Finley (Navy Cross), CPL Robert J. Green, SSGT Donald L. Gustafson, CPL James E. Harmon, PFC James R. Huckleberry, LCPL Charles Jackson, CPL Gary H. Kreh (Silver Star), CPL Mariano Leija Jr., PFC Victor H. Montoya Jr., LCPL William E. Perry, LCPL Emmett J. Peters, PFC Ronald W. Sanders, LCPL James R. Valentine, and LCPL Henry R. Wicker; (D Co, 1/4) GYSGT Leroy Elliott, CPL John H. Boudreau, CPL Abel D. Garcia Jr., LCPL Denny L. Johnson (Bronze Star), LCPL Gary F. McCue, LCPL Calvin A. Parks, LCPL Leo J. Sullivan Jr., CPL Ralph H. Watington Jr. (Silver Star), PFC Edward V. Asip, PFC Kenneth V. Avery, PFC Leon L. Cornwell Jr., PFC Cecil R. Jenkins, PFC Robert L. Margolis, PFC Thomas V. Ruff Jr., PFC Donald Williams, PFC Vomer O. Wilson Jr., PVT Larry F. Jankowski, and PVT Jesus M. Limones (Silver Star); (H&S Co, 1/4) LCPL William C. Blades III, PFC Joseph J. Dodd, and PFC Richard A. Snyder; (1st AMTRAC) CPL David L. Cleveland and PFC Larry M. Langan; (3rd Shore Party Bn) PFC Thomas A. Johnson; (3rd Tank Bn) PFC James L. Lester Jr. and LCPL John E. Young; (12th Marines Arty) LCPL John C. Kopacska and LCPL Jimmy E. Page; the lost Navy corpsmen were HM3 John E. Laning (Silver Star), HM1 Arthur C. Perez, and HM3 John C. Tate; the U.S. Army personnel were SP4 James W. Cribbs and PFC Gerard J. Schneider (44th Arty). Enemy losses were one hundred ninety-seven killed and eight captured. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and “U.S. Marines in Vietnam: Fighting the North Vietnamese 1967” by Telfer, Rogers, and Fleming]