THE WALL OF FACES

Your sacrifice is not forgotten.

HOOAH

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. Your Distinguished Service Cross citation attests to your courage and devotion to your fellow soldiers. As long as you are remembered you will always be with us….

Dear Sgt Richard Teevens, Thank you for your service as a Special Forces Qualified Medical NCO. Thank you for the lives you saved. The 55th anniversary of the start of your tour is in 3 days. Saying thank you isn't enough, but it is from the heart. Monday was Independence Day. Time passes quickly. Please watch over America, it still needs your strength, courage, guidance and faithfulness, especially now. Rest in peace with the angels.

Richard Paul Teevens
Date of birth: 27-May-43
Date of death: November 17, 1967
Home of record: Detroit Michigan
Status: KIA

AWARDS AND CITATIONS

Distinguished Service Cross

Awarded for actions during the Vietnam War

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918 (amended by act of July 25, 1963), takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Sergeant Richard Paul Teevens (ASN: 18733344), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam, while serving with Detachment B-36, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces. Sergeant Teevens distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 17 November 1967 while serving as a member of a Special Forces combat patrol on a mission deep in hostile territory. While moving through dense jungle in an attempt to engage enemy elements and capture a prisoner, his team detected heavy activity to its front. A reconnaissance element moved forward to investigate and reported finding a hostile base camp occupied by a numerically superior Viet Cong force. After requesting air strikes on the enemy camp, his unit was ordered to assault the position and mark it with smoke. As the patrol approached the camp, it was ambushed by insurgents firing the automatic weapons and small arms from well fortified positions. Sergeant Teevens saw a comrade hit and pinned down in the ravaging barrage and dashed across fifty yards of open ground under a hail of fire to rescue the man. With bullets striking all around him and friendly air strikes pounding the camp, he completely disregarded his own safety and remained exposed to the enemy weapons to treat the wounded man. The insurgents concentrated their fire on him, and he was hit by fragments from an exploding grenade while shielding his comrade with his body. Heedless of his wounds and the intensifying barrage, he crawled across the bullet-swept battlefield dragging his helpless comrade to safety. He was mortally wounded while unselfishly placing the safety of a fellow soldier above his own welfare. Sergeant Teevens' extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty, at the cost of his life, were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.
General Orders: Headquarters, U.S. Army, Vietnam, General Orders No. 6248 (December 4, 1967)

Action Date: 17-Nov-67

Service: Army

Rank: Sergeant

Company: Detachment B-36

Regiment: 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne)

Division: 1st Special Forces

Dear SGT Richard Paul Teevens, 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, and the best salute a civilian can muster for you, Sir

Curt Carter