THE WALL OF FACES

On April 19, 1968, two helicopters from the 155th Assault Helicopter Company, 52nd Combat Aviation Battalion, a UH-1H and UH-1D, collided in mid-air, resulting in the deaths of eight U.S. Army personnel and eighteen ARVN soldiers. The aircraft were involved in an ARVN troop lift in the Phu Bon Province (II Corps) near Cheo Reo. The two aircraft departed the airfield with the ARVN troops to conduct a combat assault. Observers say they saw the aircraft collide from approx 1500 feet. Both aircraft crashed and burned and were totally destroyed. There were no survivors on either ship. The two aircraft involved were UH-1D tail number 66-16441 from Ban Me Thuot, crewed by pilots WO1 Paul N. Larson and WO1 Herbert R. Hayashida, crew chief SP4 John R. Brooks, and gunner SP4 Oren B. McCarroll. They were carrying nine ARVN troops. The second aircraft, UH-1H tail number 67-17255, was crewed pilots WO1 Willis W. Smith Jr. and 1LT Dennis E. Painter, crew chief SP5 Janis Miculs, and SP4 Frank L. Freedle. Their helicopter was carrying nine ARVN’s also. [Taken from vhpa.org]

Rest in peace with the warriors.

Bubba is buried at Decatur Cemetery, Decatur, Newton Co, MS. He served with the 155 AVN CO. AM/5 OLC PH

FOREVER REMEMBERED

"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....
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...."

Quote from a letter home by Maj. Michael Davis O'Donnell
KIA 24 March 1970. Distinguished Flying Cross: Shot down and Killed while attempting to rescue 8 fellow soldiers surrounded by attacking enemy forces.

We Nam Brothers pause to give a backward glance, and post this remembrance to you, one of the gentle heroes lost to the War in Vietnam:
... and rest forever in the shade of our love, brother.

From your Nam-Band-Of-Brothers

Dear Soldier,
You don’t know me. I’ve never met you, never spent time with you, never shook your hand. I don’t know about your childhood and where you grew up. I don’t know what your hopes, dreams, and fears were. But I do know a few things about you. I know I appreciate you. I know I have respect for you. And I know the world was blessed by you being in it.
I’m working on the Gridley High School Posting Project to post remembrances for fallen heroes from Vietnam. Thank you for all that you did. May God bless you and your family.
Sincerely,
Natalie Stoller