THE WALL OF FACES

This picture is in the Edgartown (Mass.) Tennis Club.

Dear Lt William Smoyer, Thank you for your service as a Basic Infantry Officer. Saying thank you isn't enough, but it is from the heart. It is Spring , and Lent. Time moves quickly. Please watch over America, it stills needs your strength, courage, guidance and faithfulness, especially now. Rest in peace with the angels.

William, the son of Stanley C. Smoyer and Barbara B. Smoyer of Princeton NJ enlisted in the US Marine Corps on January 5, 1968 and recieved his Commission as a 2dLT in Quantico VA. He arrived in Vietnam on July 2, 1968 and was assigned as a Platoon Commander to Company K, 3d Battalion, 7th Marines, (Rein) FMF.

On the morning of 28 July Company K moved out from the village complex of Da Hoa in an area known to the Marines as "DODGE CITY' towards the east, the third platoon began to receive some harassing rifle fire which ceased abruptly. Within a short period of time, the men heard an eruption of gunfire from the direction of the second platoon; their comrades had ventured into a prepared enemy ambush and were under devastating fire. The NVA were hidden in concealed fortified positions along a tree line at the edge of wide open rice paddies and had been waiting for the approaching Marines who were strung out in a column along the rice paddy dikes. At the appropriate time, the enemy, estimated to have been a Company sized force opened up with all available fire power it had cutting down many of the Marines approaching them. The third platoon quickly reacted towards the battle but was immediately pinned down by machine gun and automatic weapons fire which raked the men.

A large number of casualties were taken by the Marines who found themselves with little cover in open rice paddies; reaction forces from Company L and M were dispatched to assist the beleaguered Marines who were unable to move in any direction and had little cover. Marines assaulted the enemy fortifications, enabling others in attempting to retrieve their fallen comrades, artillery, fixed wing and air strike missions were called in on the enemy positions helping to relieve some of the pressure on the men under fire. By late afternoon Company K was able to link up with the men from Company L and M, moving with their casualties to a secured LZ (Landing Zone) to evacuate their dead and wounded.

The day proved to be a costly one for the Marines, Company K lost seventeen men who were killed in action, including their US Navy Corpsman, many more were wounded and evacuated. Company M had one Marine killed and five wounded, a Radio Operator was killed and the FO (Forward Observer) from Battery I, 11th Marines was wounded during the battle.

One of the casualties was 2dLT Smoyer, he was killed in action as a result of multiple hostile gunshot wounds.

Bill, It's been 50 years since your death but you and your sacrifice are not forgotten. Your friends still speak of you often with love and we share a sense of terrible loss.

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.