THE WALL OF FACES

WAR HERO'S DEATH ETCHED IN MEMORY


By JOHN A. HARNES
COASTAL MONMOUTH BUREAU

Retired Army Colonel Roger H.C. Donlon salutes during Friday's ceremony at the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

Master Sergeant Gabriel Ralph Alamo's name is inscribed on the memorial's wall.

HOLMDEL, New Jersey --

On the 37th anniversary of his death in battle, Master Sergeant Gabriel Ralph Alamo was honored yesterday by his old comrade in arms, retired Colonel Roger H.C. Donlon, the first American to earn the Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War.

Already a veteran of World War II and Korea, Alamo was a grizzled 45-year-old New Jerseyan affectionately known as "Pop" by his younger colleagues at Nam Dong in the early days of the war.

"He was our leader and inspiration," Donlon told those who gathered at a ceremony at the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans Memorial off the Garden State Parkway. "He was certainly a warrior among warriors."

On 6 July 1964, Donlon was in command of Detachment A-726, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces, when a reinforced Viet Cong battalion launched a full-scale, pre-dawn attack on the camp.

The ensuing battle lasted five hours and resulted in heavy casualties on both sides.

Donlon, then a captain, directed the defense operations in the midst of an enemy barrage of mortar shells, falling grenades and extremely heavy gunfire.

Donlon said the shape of the memorial was similar to that of the mortar pit he and Alamo were literally blown into by an explosion.

"To my dying day I will carry the memory of having Pop die in my arms," Donlon said.

The defenders at Nam Dong, outnumbered at least 3 to 1, would become one of the most highly decorated units in Army history.

In addition to Donlon's Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Crosses -- the nation's second-most-sacred awards for military valor -- were presented posthumously to Alamo, who hailed from Lyndhurst, and Sergeant John Houston. Four team members were awarded the Silver Star, and another five each received the Bronze Star with "V" for valor.

Representing Major General Paul J. Glazar, the state's adjutant general, during yesterday's ceremony was Colonel Michael Warner, who presented Alamo's son, Michael Sr., with his father's New Jersey Distinguished Service Medal, the state's top military award. After receiving the award, he passed it to his own 16-year-old son, Michael Jr.

Michael Sr. was only 4 when his father died. He reminded onlookers that engraved on the war memorial's walls are the names of people like his father who "gave their lives for their country."

He came to the ceremony with his wife, Demy, and children, Michael Jr. and Alyssa, 10, from their home in Alabama.

Michael Sr. said Donlon, now living in Leavenworth, Kansas, recruited him, and in 1983 he earned a place in the ranks of the Special Forces and served in the Army for six years.

Donlon said Michael Alamo Sr., now a firefighter / paramedic, is "still battling fires, but this time they are at home."

Donlon quoted a message from Major Michael Davis O'Donnell, who on 1 January 1970, in Dak To, Vietnam, crystallized the sentiments he and other veterans share concerning the loss of men such as Alamo:

"If you are able, save for them a place inside of you and save one backward glance when you are leaving for the places they can no longer go. Be not ashamed to say you loved them, though you may or may not have always. Take what they have left and what they have taught you with their dying and keep it with your own. And in that time when men decide and feel safe to call the war insane, take one moment to embrace those gentle heroes you left behind."

O'Donnell, a helicopter pilot, was killed in action on 24 March 1970, during a rescue attempt.

The Medal of Honor, established early in the Civil War to "promote efficiency in the Navy," rose to prominence in American history and heritage, becoming the nation's highest military decoration. Fewer than 3,500 have been awarded, and 149 recipients survive.

Two of those survivors attended yesterday's ceremony: Nicholas Oresko of Bayonne, a World War II veteran, and Jack H. Jacobs of Tenafly, who served in Vietnam.

At 1 p.m. today, Donlon will speak at the Vietnam Era Educational Center, adjacent to the war memorial, about his experiences in Vietnam and will sign copies of his book, "Beyond Nam Dong."

Admission to the Educational Center is $4 for adults and $2 for seniors and students. Veterans, active-duty military personnel and children under 10 are admitted free. The center is at parkway Exit 116.

SERGEANT MAJOR

GABRIEL RALPH ALAMO


was a posthumous recipient of the

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS


awarded for his valor with


SPECIAL FORCES GROUP
DETACHMENT A-726
AT NAM DONG
SOUTH VIETNAM

ON 5 JULY 1964

MOST OF THE TWELVE MEN MANNING THE SMALL OUTPOST OF NAM DONG,
JUST 24 KILOMETERS FROM LAOS IN THE REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM, HAD THE
SAME FEELING THAT "ALL HELL IS GOING TO BREAK LOOSE HERE BEFORE
THE NIGHT IS OVER".

EARLIER, CAPTAIN ROGER DONLON HAD TOLD HIS TEAM SERGEANT,
SERGEANT MAJOR GABRIEL RALPH " POP " ALAMO, "GET EVERYONE
BUTTONED-UP TIGHT TONIGHT, THE VIET CONG ARE COMING, I CAN FEEL IT".

BUT AS THE 30-YEAR-OLD MADE HIS 2:00 am ROUNDS OF THE SMALL
PERIMETER, ALL SEEMED QUIET AND HE BEGAN TO WONDER IF PERHAPS
HE WAS WRONG. IN PREVIOUS DAYS THERE HAD BEEN INDICATIONS THAT
SOMETHING WAS ABOUT TO HAPPEN. PATROLS OUTSIDE THE BASE CAMP
HAD NOTICED INCREASED ACTIVITY, THE VILLAGERS SEEMED NERVOUS
AND SCARED, AND THE MORNING BEFORE ONE OF HIS TEAMS HAD COME
BACK FROM A THREE-DAY PATROL TO REPORT FINDING THE CORPSES OF
TWO VILLAGE CHIEFS WHO HAD BEEN FRIENDLY TO THE AMERICANS.

IT WAS NOW 2:26 am , AS CAPTAIN DONLON FINISHED HIS ROUNDS AND
STEPPED THROUGH THE SCREEN DOOR OF THE MESS HALL TO CHECK THE
GUARD ROSTER. THE 12 MEMBERS OF SPECIAL FORCES TEAM A-726 WERE
READY, WHATEVER THE DARKNESS OF THAT EARLY MORNING MIGHT HOLD.
SO TOO WERE THE 350 SOUTH VIETNAMESE SOLDIERS AND OTHERS THAT
COMPRISED THE CONTINGENT AT THIS "OUTPOST OF FREEDOM".

SUDDENLY THE BUILDING ERUPTED. THE CONCUSSION OF THE EXPLODING ENEMY MORTAR ROUND THREW HIM BACK OUT THE DOOR WHERE HE SAW
ANOTHER ROUND HIT THE COMMAND POST SETTING IT ON FIRE. FROM THE
PERIMETER CAME THE SOUNDS OF SMALL ARMS AND MACHINE GUN FIRE.

NAM DONG WAS UNDER ATTACK....

HEEDLESS OF THE CONTINUING BARRAGE OF INCOMING MORTAR ROUNDS
AND THE FLASH OF TRACERS ACROSS THE CAMP, DONLON AND HIS TEAM
SERGEANT, "POP" ALAMO, BEGAN BATTLING THE BLAZES THAT THREATENED
THE CAMP, SALVAGING WHATEVER THEY COULD. THAT DONE, DONLON
RACED FOR ONE OF THE MORTAR PITS. SUDDENLY AN ENEMY MORTAR
ROUND EXPLODED NEAR HIS FEET, TOSSING HIM INTO THE AIR. DESPITE
THE CONCUSSIVE FORCE THAT HAD LITERALLY BLOWN OFF ONE OF HIS
BOOTS AND LEFT HIM FIGHTING DIZZINESS, DONLON CRAWLED INTO THE
MORTAR PIT JUST IN TIME TO HEAR SERGEANT JOHN HOUSTON CALL OUT,
"THEY'RE OVER HERE ! BY THE AMMO BUNKER !" AS THE FEARLESS DONLON
LEFT HIS SHELTER TO ASSIST HOUSTON A THIRD MORTAR ROUND EXPLODED
NEAR HIM. DONLON LOST HIS OTHER BOOT AND ALL OF HIS EQUIPMENT
EXCEPT HIS AR15 AND TWO MAGAZINES OF ROUNDS. WORSE, SHRAPNEL
HAD SERIOUSLY WOUNDED HIM IN HIS LEFT ARM AND STOMACH. HE THEN
MANAGED TO FORCE HIS BATTERED BODY TO ANOTHER MORTAR PIT FROM
WHICH HE COULD SEE ENEMY SOLDIERS ONLY 20 YARDS FROM THE MAIN
GATE. SERGEANT HOUSTON WAS NOW DEAD, DONLON SEVERELY WOUNDED
AND THE ENEMY SEEMED TO KEEP ON COMING.

FOR FIVE HOURS DONLON MOVED ABOUT FROM POSITION TO POSITION,
DRAGGING NEEDED SUPPLIES AND AMMUNITION TO THE DEFENDERS OF
LITTLE NAM DONG, DIRECTING FIRE, AND ENCOURAGING HIS MEN. UPON
ENTERING ONE OF HIS TEAMS OWN MORTAR PITS AND FINDING MOST OF
THE MEN WOUNDED, HE DIRECTED THEIR WITHDRAWAL TO A POSITION
30 YARDS AWAY AND PROVIDED COVER FIRE FOR THEM. THEN, WHILE
ATTEMPTING TO DRAG THE SEVERELY WOUNDED "POP" ALAMO FROM THE
SAME POSITION, HE WAS HIT AGAIN BY MORTAR FRAGMENTS THAT WOUNDED
HIM IN THE SHOULDER AND INSTANTLY KILLED HIS TEAM SERGEANT.

STRUGGLING 30 YARDS FARTHER FROM THE ABANDONED PIT HE FOUND FOUR
WOUNDED TROOPS LYING BESIDE A BRICK WALL. HE USED A SOCK AS A
TOURNIQUET FOR ONE, TORE HIS SHIRT INTO BANDAGES FOR THE OTHERS, AND
STUFFED A REMAINING SCRAP INTO THE BLEEDING HOLE IN HIS STOMACH.

BEFORE CONTINUING ON HE PROPPED THEM UP AGAINST THE WALL WITH
WEAPONS IN THEIR HANDS, ENCOURAGING THEM TO CONTINUE THE DEFENSE.
AS HE MOVED FROM POSITION TO POSITION HE WAS HIT AGAIN...AND AGAIN...
AND AGAIN. SHRAPNEL PIERCED HIS LEG, HIS FACE, HIS ENTIRE BODY. BUT
WITH DETERMINATION HE BATTLED THE FATIGUE AND WOUNDS TO CONTINUE
TO LEAD HIS MEN, TEND TO THEIR WOUNDS, DIRECT THEIR FIRE, AND
PERSONALLY DEFEND HIS "OUTPOST OF FREEDOM".

WHEN MORNING DAWNED THE FIVE-HOUR BATTLE HAD LEFT 55 OF THE

SOUTH VIETNAMESE AND OTHER DEFENDERS OF NAM DONG DEAD, AND

ANOTHER 65 WOUNDED. BUT THE SURVIVING DEFENDERS OF NAM DONG

HAD HELD THROUGH THE NIGHT, OUTNUMBERED BY MORE THAN 3 TO 1

BY A REINFORCED BATTALION OF ENEMY SOLDIERS.

ROGER DONLON'S TEAM WOULD BECOME ONE OF THE MOST HIGHLY

DECORATED UNITS IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY.


THE NATION'S SECOND HIGHEST DECORATION FOR VALOR, THE

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS

WAS POSTHUMOUSLY AWARDED TO BOTH

SERGEANT

JOHN LUCIUS HOUSTON

and

MASTER SERGEANT

GABRIEL RALPH "POP" ALAMO


FOUR OTHER TEAM MEMBERS WERE AWARDED THE

SILVER STAR

AND THE FIVE OTHER SURVIVING TEAM MEMBERS

EACH WERE AWARDED THE

BRONZE STAR MEDAL with 'V' device for valor


CAPTAIN ROGER H. C. DONLON

WAS AWARDED THE

CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR


ON 5 DECEMBER 1964, ALL NINE SURVIVING MEMBERS OF TEAM A-726

JOINED CAPTAIN DONLON IN THE EAST ROOM OF THE WHITE HOUSE AS

PRESIDENT JOHNSON PLACED THE MEDAL OF HONOR AROUND HIS NECK.


THE HUMBLE HERO INTRODUCED THEM ALL TO THE PRESIDENT AND SAID,

"THE MEDAL BELONGS TO THEM, TOO.

IT WAS A TEAM EFFORT,

I WAS SIMPLY THE DESIGNATED LEADER".


HIS WAS THE FIRST MEDAL OF HONOR OF THE 240

PRESENTED, DURING THE YEARS OF THE VIETNAM WAR.



***************************************************************



CITATION

FOR THE AWARD OF THE

CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR

TO

CAPTAIN

ROGER HUGH CHARLES DONLON



For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his own life
above and beyond the call of duty while defending a US military
installation against a fierce attack by hostile forces. Captain Donlon
was serving as the commanding officer of the US Army Special Forces
Detachment A-726 at Camp Nam Dong when a reinforced Viet Cong
battalion suddenly launched a full-scale, pre-dawn attack on the camp.
During the violent battle that ensued, lasting 5 hours and resulting in
heavy casualties on both sides, Captain Donlon directed the defensive
operations in the midst of an enemy barrage of mortar shells, falling
grenades, and extremely heavy gunfire. Upon the initial onslaught, he
swiftly marshalled his forces and ordered the removal of the needed
ammunition from a blazing building. He then dashed through a hail of
small arms and exploding hand grenades to abort a breach of the main
gate. Enroute to this position he detected an enemy demolition team of
3 in the proximity of the main gate and quickly annihilated them. Although
exposed to the intense grenade attack, he then succeeded in reaching a
60mm mortar position despite sustaining a severe stomach wound as he
was within 5 yards of the gunpit, when he discovered that most of the men
in the gunpit were also wounded, he completely disregarded his own injury,
directed their withdrawal to a location 30 yards away, and risked his life by
remaining behind and covering the movement with the utmost effectiveness.
Noticing that his team sergeant was unable to evacuate the gunpit he
crawled toward him and while dragging the fallen soldier out of the gunpit,
an enemy mortar round exploded and inflicted a wound in Captain Donlon's
left shoulder. Although suffering from multiple wounds, he carried the
abandoned 60mm mortar weapon to a new location 30 yards away where
he found some wounded defenders. After administering first aid and
encouragement to these men, he left the weapons with them, headed
toward another position, and recovered a 57mm recoilless rifle. Then with
great courage and coolness under fire, he returned to the abandoned
gunpit, evacuated ammunition for the two weapons, and while crawling
and dragging the urgently needed ammunition, received a third wound on
his leg by an enemy hand grenade. Despite his critical physical condition,
he again crawled 175 yards to an 81mm mortar position and directed
firing operations which protected the seriously threatened east sector of
the camp. He then moved to an eastern 60mm mortar position and upon
determining that the vicious enemy assault had weakened, crawled back
to the gunpit with the 60mm mortar, set it up for defensive operations,
and turned it over to two defenders with minor wounds. Without hesitation,
he left this sheltered position, and moved from position to position around
the beleaguered perimeter while hurling hand grenades at the enemy and
inspiring his men to superhuman effort. As he bravely continued to move
around the perimeter, a mortar shell exploded, wounding him in the face
and body. As the long awaited daylight brought defeat to the enemy forces
and their retreat back to the jungle leaving 54 of their dead, many weapons
and grenades, Captain Donlon immediately reorganized his defenses and
administered first aid to the wounded. His dynamic leadership, fortitude,
and valiant efforts inspired not only the American personnel but the
friendly Vietnamese defenders as well and resulted in the successful defense
of the camp. Captain Donlon's extraordinary heroism, at the risk of his life
above and beyond the call of duty are in the highest traditions of the
US Army and reflect great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of his
Country.



***************************************************************



MASTER SERGEANT

GABRIEL RALPH ALAMO


was a recipient of the
following military decorations


DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS

SILVER STAR with Oak Leaf Cluster

PURPLE HEART


and was entitled to wear the


COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE

and

ARMY SENIOR PARACHUTE WINGS



***************************************************************




THE PROUD YOUNG VALOR THAT ROSE ABOVE THE MORTAL,
AND THEN, AT LAST, WAS MORTAL AFTER ALL





YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN

NOR SHALL YOU EVER BE

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.

Mary Frye – 1932

Gabriel, Although we never met, I just want you to know you are not forgotten. You gave the ultimate sacrifice, your life for what you believed in. Sleep well my friend, and thank you for protecting the freedoms we have today.
A true hero.