THE WALL OF FACES

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

Sergeant First Class David S Boyd was awarded the Silver Star Medal for his exemplary courage under fire. He served as an Indirect Fire Infantryman, Special Forces Qualified. He was assigned to D Co, 5th Special Forces Group.

On the early morning of November 14, 1966, a U.S. Army 5th Special Forces Group airboat detachment from A-414 based out of Moc Hoa conducted a patrol mission north of Tuyen Nhon on the Cambodian border. The operation utilized eight combat airboats and twelve sampans accompanied by an airboat platoon under command of SFC David S. Boyd. As the group moved up the Vam Co Tay River, they entered a small channel that lead north to the objective area. Thick growth covered the edges of the channel and the lead elements used recon by fire as they approached suspected Viet Cong hiding places. This triggered a furious burst of Viet Cong automatic weapons fire beginning at 8:50 AM. SFC Boyd was killed in the fusillade, and the formation was thrown into panic. Several of the boats sustained hits and another American was wounded, dropping his M16 rifle overboard. Air strikes were called on the Viet Cong positions, and after three runs over the enemy the airboats were able to retreat. One boat, however, was dead in the water with an engine failure. Both the VC and the Americans tried to recover the airboat. Orbiting helicopters strafed the charging Viet Cong, and the boat was reached by friendly forces and moved back a safe distance. At 10:00 AM, an assault line was formed to attack the Viet Cong positions. As the Americans and their CIDG troopers blazed away with M79 grenade launchers and automatic weapons fire, they got into a tree line where they were hit by an intense, well-aimed fire all along their front. Radioman SP4 John Mayo was mortally wounded, and the CIDG soldiers retreated. The boats pulled back, buffeted by concentrated fire until they were out of range. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and the book “Green Berets at War” by Shelby L. Stanton]

SFC David S. Boyd will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery at the direction of his widow, Barbara Boyd. He was first laid to rest on Nov. 21, 1966 in Lafayette Memorial Cemetery in Fayetteville, NC.
His burial at ANC will be held on Thursday, May 24, 2018 at 1:00 p.m.

I knew Dave in B Co. 505. He was a good soldier and a great guy. We both went to special forces, but we never served together in SF. Sorry to have lost you buddy.