THE WALL OF FACES

My brother, Kenneth Durst, served with Bruce in Nam. Bruce and I became pen pals. We exchanged letters for several months. I have never forgotten the day I got a letter from my brother telling me Bruce had died. I place a remembrance at his panel on the WALL everytime I go to D.C. I always think, so many dreams that never had a chance to be fulfilled. R.I.P. my freind.

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. May you rest in eternal peace.

Specialist Five Bruce Allen Bowman, Served with Company C, 169th Engineer Battalion, 159th Engineer Group, 20th Engineer Brigade, United States Army Vietnam Engineer Command, United States Army Vietnam.

SP5 Bruce A. Bowman served with C Company, 169th Engineer Battalion, 159th Engineer Group, 20th Engineer Brigade. On March 8, 1971, SP5 Bowman was the driver of a military vehicle towing a second vehicle five miles southwest of Tien Phuoc in Bien Hoa Province, RVN. During the towing operation, the towed vehicle broke away from the tow truck when Bowman stopped for traffic. While attempting to stop the runaway vehicle, Bowman was fatally crushed underneath the front wheel. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org; article courtesy of the Denver Public Library (publication and date unknown)]

DEAR SPEC 5 BOWMAN,
THANKS FOR YOUR SERVICE. I DO NOT KNOW YOUR MOS, BUT YOU SERVED IN THE ARMY. MONDAY WAS THE 42ND ANNIVERSARY OF THE MAYAQUEZ INCIDENT - THE LAST BIG BATTLE OF THE WAR BIG SIGH. MEMORIAL DAY IS APPROACHING, BUT ALL DAYS WE SHOULD HONOR YOU. IT HAS BEEN FAR TOO LONG FOR ALL OF YOU TO HAVE BEEN GONE. WE APPRECIATE ALL YOU HAVE DONE, AND YOUR SACRIFICE. WATCH OVER THE U.S.A., IT STILL NEEDS YOUR COURAGE. GOD BLESS YOU. MAY THE ANGELS BE AT YOUR SIDE. REST IN PEACE. YOU ARE ALL IN OUR PRAYERS.