THE WALL OF FACES

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

Never forgotten.

HOOAH

Dear CPL Roger Segers, Thank you for your service as a Combat Engineer. Saying thank you isn't enough, but it is from the heart. It is another new year. Time moves quickly. Please watch over America, it stills needs your strength, courage, guidance and faithfulness, especially now. Rest in peace with the angels.

Operation Paddington (July 9-15, 1967) was a large search and destroy operation involving nearly 15,000 U.S., South Vietnamese, and Australian troops based in Bien Hoa Province, RVN, and targeted the Viet Cong (VC) 5th Division. Under the overall command of MGEN George G. O'Connor, commander U.S. 9th Infantry Division, allied forces for Operation Paddington included the U.S. 1st Brigade, 9th Infantry Division, the 2nd Battalion, U.S. 47th Infantry Regiment (Mechanized), the U.S. 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, Task Force B Marine Corps (Republic of Vietnam), and the 1st Australian Task Force, as well as various supporting arms including two artillery batteries and more than a thousand armored vehicles and helicopters. Paddington failed to result in significant contact in spite of well-coordinated search techniques and blocking forces. A large number of VC camps, bunkers, and storage areas were uncovered and destroyed, resulting in significant disruption to the communist logistic system. On the morning of July 14, 1967, engineers from A Company, 15th Engineer Battalion, 9th Infantry Division, were conducting a road demining sweep in support of Paddington on Route 328 in Phuoc Tuy Province when one of them stepped on a mine approximately eight miles northwest of Xuyen Moc. PFC Roger D. Segers was killed after he triggered what was believed to be an anti-tank mine. The enormous blast left a crater 6-8 feet deep and 10 feet across. Because few discernable remains were recovered, he was initially listed as Missing in Action. Ten days later, Segers’ status was changed to Recovered by Graves Registration personnel. He was posthumously promoted to Corporal. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and “Third Squadron, Fifth Cavalry in Vietnam” at 3-5cav-blackknights.org; also, information provided by Joseph Rumfelt (2021)]

With Memorial Day approaching, your sacrifice is not forgotten.

HOOAH