THE WALL OF FACES

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. We should be forever thankful for the sacrifices of you and so many others to ensure the freedoms we so often take for granted.

You will forever remain in our hearts and prayers

Dear Sp4 Arturo Salazar, Thank you for your service as an Indirect Fire Infantryman. Saying thank you isn't enough, but it is from the heart. Veterans’ Day is today. Time passes quickly. Please watch over America, it stills needs your strength, courage, guidance, and faithfulness, especially now. Rest in peace with the angels.

To one of many soldiers that paid the ultimate price. You died so that others may live. God bless you.

At 0945 hours on June 13, 1969, heavy casualties were sustained by Mobile Riverine Forces during an enemy-initiated firefight (ENIFF) which occurred on the Ben Tre River, four miles southeast of Ben Tre in Kien Hoa Province, RVN. Nine river assault craft (RAC) with Bravo Company of the 3/47th Infantry Battalion were enroute to a beaching site when they came under heavy B-40 rocket attack. Zippo flame-throwing boat Z-152-1 received four rocket hits, ATC 152-6 received two rocket hits, and ATC 152-11 received one. Fire was returned and momentarily suppressed. The RAC were forced to reverse course in order to facilitate evacuation of casualties; as they turned around they again came under attack from the same location. The RAC proceeded toward a fire support base (FSB) while 26 of the wounded were medevacked by an Army dustoff helicopter and the Navy Command and Control helicopter. Total friendly casualties were five soldiers killed, and 21 soldiers and four Navymen wounded. The lost soldiers included SP4 Thomas M. Aaron Jr., PFC Kenneth L. Conner, SSGT Michael K. Lewis, SP4 James C. Lucero, and SP4 Arturo Salazar. At the FSB, a company of the 3/47th replaced the decimated troops and returned to the ambush site. A company of the 3/60th was also airmobiled into the ambush area to conduct search and destroy operations which yielded no contact. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org]