THE WALL OF FACES

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.

Dear Cpl Dale Sorensen, Thank you for your service as an Indirect Fire Infantryman, Your 51st anniversary is soon, sad. Saying thank you isn't enough, but it is from the heart. Yesterday was Palm Sunday, and Passover is soon, too. Time moves quickly. Please watch over America, it stills needs your strength, courage, guidance and faithfulness, especially now. Rest in peace with the angels.

On April 23, 1971, during Operation Finney Hill, a security operation by the 11th Infantry Brigade in Quang Ngai Province, RVN, elements of 2nd Platoon, C Company, 4th Battalion, 21st Infantry, Americal Division, were conducting a search and clear mission four miles southwest of Duc Pho. Late in the afternoon, the platoon commander, a lieutenant, began searching for a suitable location for a night defensive position (NDP). He and another officer from the 59th Infantry’s Scout Dog Platoon, plus the dog handler with a dog named Heidi (ID: X017), and a radioman ascended a small hill where the lieutenant decided to establish the NDP. A few of the seasoned veterans were alarmed when they noticed old C-ration cans and partially filled-in foxholes. The position had clearly been used before, they protested, complaining it was too dangerous to reoccupy. Undeterred, the lieutenant told them to dig in. As the men began forming up a perimeter and removing their gear, an enormous explosion occurred. It sent up a large dust cloud, followed by debris raining down on the stunned men. As their senses slowly returned, they realized a booby-trap had been detonated in the center of the position. It was unclear if someone had triggered it or was command-detonated; nevertheless, the results were devastating. The blast pushed a lethal matrix of fragments through the platoon, killing eight men and the scout dog, and wounding eleven. Many sustained unspeakable wounds. The explosion knocked the radio out of commission, and it took several minutes before the radioman could get an antenna up to call for assistance. Despite the chaos, the men went to work, treating the wounded and securing the perimeter. Four medivacs came in, the confined space of the hilltop limiting only one aircraft at a time. The 4/21st Battalion Commander arrived on the first ship and assisted with the evacuations which were flown to LZ Bronco. The lost personnel included SP4 Edward W. Corcoran, SP4 Norman C. Fischer, PFC Robert M. Fuhrman, 1LT Howard D. Payne III (59th Inf Scout Dog PLT, died of wounds 04/27/1971), PFC Dale E. Sorensen, PFC Patrick W. Terry, SP4 George H. Williams Jr. (59th Inf Scout Dog PLT), and SP4 Melvin J. Williams. In the wake of the losses, several posthumous promotions occurred: Fuhrman, Sorenson, and Terry were elevated to Corporal, and M. Williams was advanced to Sergeant. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org, ttu.edu, and information provided by Douglas (“Fang”) T. Smith (February 2022)]

As your 70th birthday approaches, your sacrifice is not forgotten.

HOOAH

Dale is buried at Sunset Heights Memorial Gardens, Tillamook, Tillamook County, OR. PH