THE WALL OF FACES

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

Fire Support Base Airborne was a U.S. Army firebase located west of Hue overlooking the A Shau Valley in central Vietnam. The base was occupied by elements of the 2nd Battalion, 501st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion, 11th Artillery, and 2nd Battalion, 319th Artillery when it was attacked at 3:30 AM on May 13, 1969, by about 110 members of the North Vietnamese Army’s 6th Regiment and K-12 Sapper Battalion. Wearing loin cloths or shorts and equipped with AK-47s with folding stocks, the advance party slipped through the barbed wire, neutralized the trip flares, and dashed inside throwing explosives. The enemy then assaulted the firebase on two sides with infantrymen and sappers rushing the perimeter. Heavy rocket-propelled grenade and mortar fire supported the attack. Allied artillery from nearby fire bases responded within five minutes, silencing the mortar positions. An AC-47 Spooky gunship arrived within one hour of request. By 5:30 AM, the battle was over with twenty-seven U.S. killed. They included SP4 Carl F. Arbogast Jr., PFC Odell D. Beasley, SGT Oscar D. Boydston, CPL Edward A. Clarke, SP4 Donald J. Corbett, SSG Kenneth T. Cruise Jr., CPT Moulton L. Freeman, SP5 James R. Gohagin, CPL Ernest L. Gordon, SGT James C. Harper Jr., PFC Cleabern W. Hill Jr., SP4 Eric B Johnson, SP4 Richard R. Kelley, SGT Bobby G. Lawrence, CPL Robert R. Malecki, SP4 Arlen J. Miller, PFC Warren P. Nix, PFC William D. Poole Jr., SP4 Roger D. Ross, CPL Thomas W. Sadler, 2LT Bruce Saunders, CPL William F. Silver Jr., SGT Francis L. Souza, SP4 Ira J. Sturgeon, PFC Lynn C. Swanson, SP4 Samuel C. Tharpe, and PFC James M. Thompson. Forty NVA were reportedly killed. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org, wikipedia.org, and PFC Odell D. Beasley’s Bronze Star citation]

Today we honor you Lynn Swanson for your service. Your family has never forgotten you and your sacrifice for our country. Although you and I have never met, I feel as though you are always with us. You would be so proud of your brother- my husband- and our children who would be your niece and nephew. We are all committed to carrying on your legacy and wemiss not having you as a part of our lives.

I just want to leave a thank you for everything you did in helping protect all of us. My brother was killed in the same area that you where on the same day. I hope you two knew each other and are now together in heaven looking down and still protecting us. Again a big THANK YOU . Charles Sturgeon

Dear PFC Lynn Curtis Swanson, sir

As an American, I would like to thank you for your service and for your sacrifice made on behalf of our wonderful country. The youth of today could gain much by learning of heroes such as yourself, men and women whose courage and heart can never be questioned.

May God allow you to read this, and may He allow me to someday shake your hand when I get to Heaven to personally thank you. May he also allow my father to find you and shake your hand now to say thank you; for America, and for those who love you.

With respect, Sir

Curt Carter