THE WALL OF FACES

The Hai Van Pass (“Ocean Cloud Pass”) is an approximately 21-kilometer (13 mile) long mountain pass on National Route QL-1. It traverses a spur of the Annamite Mountain Range that juts into the South China Sea on the borders of Quang Nam and Thua Thien Provinces, RVN. The rough, steep and overgrown terrain on Hai Van Mountain was particularly conducive to Viet Cong (VC) ambushes, mining, and sniper activity. The action, while extremely difficult to control, was reduced by methods developed by Naval Mobile Construction Battalion-1 (NMCB-1) as improvements on the road were being made; however, during the summer of 1967, efforts to determine patterns of VC aggression were still difficult to establish. The most frequent action occurred between Bridges #10 and #12 on the south side of the pass and at Bridges #18 and #26 on the north side. The most common attack was from a sniper located in rocks 200 to 300 yards above the road; however, the probability of sniping from below the road was also high. On the morning of August 28, 1967, NMCB-1 was performing bridge repairs when construction man CN Blair W. Starkey was killed by a sniper shot through his flak jacket from below the road while another sniper was firing to the southwest above the road two kilometers (1.2 miles) south of Hai Van Pass Heliport in Quang Nam Province, RVN. The Seabees returned fire and requested supporting arms. A UH-1 helicopter gunship came overhead and strafed the area with unknown results. In the days following his death, a memorial service for Starkey was conducted at NMCB-1’s basecamp at Red Beach north of Da Nang, which included the Seabees executing a seven-gun salute in his honor. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org, mcb53.com, and information provided by Ron Benotti (February 2024)]

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.

I remember that day clearly you made the sacrifice for us and our country You are our brother forever MCB One Charlie Company 8/28/1967

Never forgotten.

Semper Fortis

Dear CN Blair Starkey, Thank you for your service as a Constructionman. Saying thank you isn't enough, but it is from the heart. The 47th anniversary of the Fall of Saigon just passed. Time passes quickly. Please watch over America, it stills needs your strength, courage, guidance and faithfulness, especially now. Rest in peace with the angels.