THE WALL OF FACES

Your sacrifice is not forgotten.

HOOAH

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. The remembrance from James Blevins is touching and reflects his admiration and respect for you.As long as you are remembered you will always be with us….

Your sacrifice is not forgotten.

HOOAH

Dear Cpl Thomas Stephens, Thank you for your service as an Infantryman. Tomorrow is your 52nd anniversary, sad. Saying thank you isn't enough, but it is from the heart. The 47th anniversary of the official end of the war 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.

At 5:30 AM on May 12, 1970, Company C, 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry (Mechanized) received small arms, rocket-propelled grenade, sniper, and mortar fire from an unknown number of enemy five miles northeast of Kampong Trach on the sixth day of an incursion into Cambodia to destroy North Vietnamese Army base areas. Companies A and B, 1/5 Infantry (M), reacted and joined the battle. The Americans returned fire with the support of aerial rocket artillery, a helicopter Light Fire Team, and one artillery battery which fired 211 high explosive rounds at the enemy. Contact was broken at 9:50 AM. Six U.S. soldiers and one Kit Carson Scout were killed in the engagement, and 43 were wounded (30 with minor wounds). Six armored personnel carriers were destroyed in the action. A reported thirteen enemy soldiers were killed. The lost U.S. personnel included PVT Ronald E. Campbell, SP4 Ardie R. Copas, SP4 David F. Johnson, PFC Stephen J. Keesler, SP4 Leopoldo A. Lopez, and PFC Thomas A. Stephens. Campbell was posthumously promoted to Private First Class. Johnson and Stephens were posthumously promoted to Corporal. Copas, Johnson, and Lopez were posthumously promoted to Sergeant. In February 2014, Copas had his Distinguished Service Cross award for his actions during the battle upgraded to the Medal of Honor by President Obama. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and Lessons Learned, Headquarters, 25th Infantry Division for the period ending July 1970]