THE WALL OF FACES

The “Friends of Rocky Versace” remember one of Rocky’s fellow alumni from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point - and a brother Paratrooper - BG Richard Joseph Tallman, USMA Class of 1949, on what would’ve been his 93d birthday - 28 March 2018.

The “Friends of Rocky Versace” remember one of Rocky’s fellow alumni from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, BG Richard Joseph Tallman, on what would’ve been his 92d birthday - 28 March 2017. (Photograph of Cadet Tallman from the 1949 HOWITZER - the annual of the United States Corps of Cadets at the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, NY)

On July 9, 1972, BGEN Richard J. Tallman landed in the city of An Loc, Binh Long Province, RVN, with several of his key staff officers to observe the progress of ARVN operations and coordinate a reinforcement effort during the NVA Spring Offensive of 1972. Two advisors from the 18th ARVN Division, MAJ Joe Hallum and CPT Willbanks met them. As the helicopter departed, a lone enemy artillery shell struck the general’s party. Three American officers accompanying Tallman, LTC Stanley J. Kuick, MAJ Peter M. Bentson, and 1LT John A. Todd, and Sergeant Son, an ARVN interpreter, were killed instantly. General Tallman, MAJ Hallum, and CPT Willbanks, were wounded in the blast. A medivac, Dustoff 79 from the 57th Medical Company (Air Ambulance), evacuated them to the 3rd Field Hospital in Saigon, where the general, mortally wounded, died on the operating table. He was the last U.S. Army general to die in South Vietnam. Hallum and Willbanks later recovered from their wounds. Kuick was posthumously promoted to colonel. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org, wikipedia.org, and jebanicki.net]

Dear BGEN Richard Joseph Tallman, 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

BG Richard Joseph Tallman was an alumnus of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, NY. He was one of 335 men from West Point who died or are MIA in Southeast Asia during the period October, 1957 – September, 1972. Well done, be thou at peace.