THE WALL OF FACES

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. You were born on my birthday and died at 20 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.

Dear SN Melvin Sellers, Thank you for your service as a Seaman. 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.

I was there when it happen. if you want to contact me by e-mail [email protected]

Thank you for your service and your sacrifice. Thank you for stepping up and answering your country's call. Rest easy knowing you will never be forgotten. Happy Heavenly Birthday.

On February 27, 1969, enemy rockets were lobbed at the Da Nang bridge loading ramp, destroying Landing Craft Utility (LCU) 1500 and YFU-78, a harbor utility craft. LCU-1500 received a direct hit by a rocket of unknown size. Ammunition on the LCU was detonated and an explosion occurred with fire spreading to the nearby YFU. The attack probably would have caused few casualties except for the lucky hit on LCU-1500, which was fully laden with munitions for transport to Dong Ha in Quang Tri Province. It was mostly the secondary explosions and fires which killed the 22 sailors aboard LCU-1500, YFU-78 and NSA Da Nang. Another craft, LCU-1614, sustained minor damage by shrapnel. With the exception of one man from the LCU-1500, all aboard both boats were killed. Total U.S. Navy personnel casualties were reported at 22 Navy men killed and 38 wounded. The 22 men killed during the attack were: LCU-1500, Assault Craft Unit 1, NAVSUPACT Danang - BMC Donald J. Fisher, EN1 Bert E. Burton, EM1 Cecil F. Bush, CS2 Marvin D. Avery, RM2 David W. Hawryshko, GMG3 Ronald J. Gebbie, BM3 Donald M. Horton, BM3 Ronald P. Yuhas, FN Joseph F. Burinda Jr., SN Bruno W. Demata, FN Charles A. Tavares, and SA Craig E. Swagler; YFU-78, Assault Craft Unit 1, NAVSUPACT Danang - EN1 Earl T. Moore Jr., QM1 Milton Shapiro, CS2 Charlie M. Ellison, EM2 Lyle D. Zacher, QM3 Earnest J. Buckelew, BM3 Daniel L. Overright, and SN Melvin L. Sellers; Supply Operations, NAVSUPACT Danang - BM1 Manuel Martinez, SN Thomas E. Adams, and SN Theodore S. Hamner. [Taken from wardogs.com]