THE WALL OF FACES

Your sacrifice is not forgotten.

HOOAH

Some may think you are forgotten
Though on earth you are no more
But in our memory you are with us
As you always were before….

Dear Sgt Charles Summers, Thank you for your service as an Infantryman. Saying thank you isn't enough, but it is from the heart Flag Day is soon. Time passes quickly. Please watch over America, it stills needs your strength, courage, guidance and faithfulness, especially now. Rest in peace with the angels.

On March 30, 1967, the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry, commanded by LTC Alexander M. Haig, was airlifted to LZ George deep into War Zone C near the Cambodian border in support of Operation Junction City. The following morning, search and destroy operations began, with 1/26th’s Company A going south and C Company east; B Company remained in reserve, and the battalion recon platoon searched the woods northwest of the perimeter. It was obvious that the Americans were expected after trees were found holding small signs in English warning that U.S. troops going beyond that point would not return. At 1:00 PM, while moving north through the woods, the recon point man was hit by enemy fire. 1LT Richard A. Hill, the recon platoon leader, moved forward to check the situation and was mortally wounded. Before being hit, Hill had advised the battalion that the platoon was heavily engaged with automatic weapons, small arms, and grenades. Haig coordinated artillery fire and air strikes in support of the besieged platoon. The B Company commander, on his own initiative, swung his unit to the north and proceeded to the aid of the embattled Americans, becaming heavily engaged along with the recon platoon. The B Company commander confirmed that he was confronting at least a battalion-size Viet Cong force. He reported the company was pinned down by heavy machine gun fire, rockets, mortars, and recoilless rifles, and was running low on ammunition. Haig landed near the point of contact and had his S-3 go airborne to control fire direction. Haig found 1LT Hill dead and the B Company commander in mild shock. He was soon joined by the A Company commander who had moved his unit through B Company and gained fire superiority over the enemy force. The intensity and accuracy of the artillery and air strikes increased, permitting all units, except two platoons of A Company still in contact, to be withdrawn. As the units moved back, the VC left their bunkers and moved forward to maintain contact; this exposed them to the incoming bombardment which caused them to break contact. The engagement was over by 5:05 PM and cost seven Americans lives and thirty-eight wounded. The lost personnel included Hill, SP4 Thomas M. Hannigan Jr., SP4 Patrick T. Mercier, PFC William R. Petersen, PFC Joe D. Stowers, SGT Charles G. H. Summers, and PSG Delbert C. Totty. Enemy casualties were unknown. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and “Operation Junction City Battlebook” at apps.dtic.mil]

Sergeant Summers was awarded the Silver Star Medal for his exemplary courage under fire while serving with B Co, 1st Bn, 26th Infantry, 1st Infantry Div.