THE WALL OF FACES

Operation Toan Thang I ["Complete Victory"] (April 8 - May 31, 1968) was a security operation designed to put pressure on Viet Cong (VC) and North Vietnamese Army (NVA) forces in Military Region III. The operation involved nearly every combat unit in Military Region III to reestablish South Vietnamese government control in the areas around Saigon following the Tet Offensive. On the morning of May 4th, Company D, 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, departed Di An Base Camp in Bien Hoa Province to conduct a reconnaissance-in-force near the village of Tan Hiep, located two miles to the north on the Bien Hoa-Binh Duong provincial border. Intelligence reports indicated the villagers were being forced to store ammunition for the enemy. As Company D approached the village, it became clear the inhabitants had fled. While searching the surrounding area, 1st Platoon made contact with an unknown-size enemy force in a wood line. The 2nd and 3rd Platoons were called to protect 1st Platoon’s flank as the contact developed. Supporting arms were requested which saturated the wood line with artillery barrages, greatly suppressing the enemy fire. At noon, reinforcements from Companies A and B, 1/18th and M48A1 tanks and M113 armored cavalry assault vehicles (ACAVs) from Troops A and B, 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry, 1st Aviation Brigade arrived. The tanks and ACAV’s pushed to the front of the battle, and in tandem with the infantrymen, closed on the enemy positions. Company A made little contact while Companies B and D engaged the VC, routing them from their hiding places with small arms and hand grenades. Fighting continued through the afternoon into the evening. Company D left the battle area at 6:45 PM to secure the road back to Di An while the remaining forces stayed in contact until 9:00 PM, returning to the base camp at 11:00 PM. VC losses were placed at 245 killed with an assortment of weapons captured. The enemy troops, identified as the Dong Nai VC Battalion, was left combat ineffective following the engagement. U.S. losses were seven killed with twenty-seven wounded. The lost personnel included (from 1/18th Inf) SSG Samuel H. Bonifant, PSGT Anthony W. Torres, SGT William W. Johnson, SGT Gerald D. Klein, SP4 Richard T. Mills, and 2LT Robert G. Price; and (B Troop, 7/1 Cav) SP4 Donald E. Nipper. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and “Operation Toan Thang.” Danger Forward (a 1st Infantry Division publication), December 1, 1968]

Your sacrifice is not forgotten.

HOOAH

Never forgotten.

HOOAH

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 sunlight 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.

On the remembrance of your 87th birthday, your sacrifice is not forgotten.

HOOAH