THE WALL OF FACES

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. The remembrances from those who served with you are touching and reflect their admiration and respect for you. As long as you are remembered you will remain in our hearts forever.

Dear Lt Boyd Smith, Thank you for your service as an Infantry Unit Commander. Saying thank you isn't enough, but it is from the heart. Winter will end soon, and Lent has begun. Time moves quickly. Please watch over America, it stills needs your strength, courage, guidance and faithfulness, especially now. Rest in peace with the angels.

We graduated together - Central High School, Class of 1966, in Fountain City - Knox County, TN. I was in Vietnam 1969-1970, and didn't learn of his death until sometime later that year. I last saw Wayne whenI was home on leave in '69. Wayne was about to ship out for Vietnam. I told him I was bound for there as well later in '69. We shook hands and hoped we might run across each other somewhere over there. He was so proud to have completed OTS and had made 2LT. There have been no Veterans Days or National Anthems heard or Flag saluted since 1970 that I've not thought of Wayne Smith and his sacrifice. God bless his memory and the entire Smith family.

Dear Boyd Wayne, just learned your name this week. You served with and, thus, were a friend (as must as a LT was allowed to be a friend of a PFC) of Bobby Worthington. Looks like you were both Beloved by friends and neighbors. Bobby had a cousin who had moved to the Knoxville area and still there. Don't know that he visited her, but I believe the driving route from NJ to KY for family reunions went thru TN. Know that all who did survive have worked so hard all these years, seeming to want to make positive differences as a memorial to you. Rest in peace. Your service and your friendship are deeply appreciated. Thank you

My entire squad and our platoon leader were killed on 5 May 1970: PFC John Raymond Feeser, PFC Roger Emil Holler, PFC James Mason Keller, SP4 Jack David Leopard, 1st LT Boyd Wayne Smith and PFC Robert Ward Worthington. Lt Smith took my place that day as I had a series of dental appointments in Saigon. I have read on sites that these men were killed when our APC (or "truck") hit a mine. I don't believe this is true. A former squad member, who was there, relayed this account to me when I returned: Our platoon was working with an armored company who's commanding officer ordered my squad to "ride point" that day, ahead of the tanks! An enemy combatant fired an RPG round into the side of our APC and that round exploded the C4 and other explosives inside of the APC. Regardless of which explosive device one wishes to embrace, the fact remains that these senseless deaths were preventable. The armored company should have been leading our platoon of APCs! As a result of this horrible loss, the company commander of the armored company was relieved of duty. My thoughts and prayers go daily to these great men with whom I worked, and to their families.