THE WALL OF FACES

Uncle Joe- although it has been 57 years, I think of you frequently and remember how much I looked up to you. I still have the letter that you sent me. Rest in peace.

Camp Radcliff was a U.S. Army base in the An Khe District of Binh Dinh Province, RVN. It was established in late August 1965 as the base camp for the 1st Cavalry Division. The camp was located on National Highway QL-19, thirty-seven miles northwest of Qui Nhon on the coast and thirty-seven miles southeast of Pleiku in the Central Highlands. On April 9, 1967, an unidentified enemy force attacked the Camp Radcliff defense complex with mortars and ground elements. The eight-minute mortar attack began at 12:50 AM when at least eighty-three rounds of 82mm mortars landed on the southeast corner of the helicopter parking area known as the Golf Course. There were no personnel casualties from the mortars and only light damage inflicted on parked aircraft in the impact area. The ground attack was launched at about 1:00 AM against forces defending Landing Zone Charles, part of the defense complex. An estimated 40-60 enemy penetrated the perimeter in three places before small arms fire from the defenders and intense fire from tube artillery and aerial rocket artillery (ARA) drove the enemy from the position after approximately forty minutes. Complete contact with the enemy was broken at 1:55 AM. Nine Americans were killed in the fighting and fifteen were wounded. The lost personnel included (from B Company, 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry) PFC Rodney C. Edwards, PFC Cario Fuller, PFC Glenn J. Hlavacek, PFC James F. Madden, PFC William C. Madison, SGT Dale E. Milam, PFC Charles A. Stoken, PFC Ronald M. Thomas II, and CPT Joseph A. Tomko (died of wounds 06/01/1967); and (from B Battery, 29th Artillery [Searchlight Battery]) PFC Alan D. Fredrickson. Several posthumous promotions were processed following this action with Fuller, Hlavacek, Madden, and Stoken promoted to Corporal. A later assessment of the mortar barrage determined a total of fifteen aircraft had been damaged. Enemy losses were counted at fifteen dead (by body count) and a variety of weapons captured. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and “Operational Reports - Lessons Learned, Headquarters, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile), October 1967” at ttu.edu]

Joe and I were fraternity brothers at Northwestern University in the late 1950's. Joe was on the Football Team there plus we were roommates in the Zeta Psi Fraternity House on Chicago Avenue. He was a friendly and fun guy to be with and he decided on an Army career after he graduated from Northwestern. He is sadly missed by all who knew him and highly respected for his service to our country. Rest in peace, Joe. You died a hero for America. Your Fraternity Brother,
Rear Admiral [Ret.] Jim Carey, Northwestern University Class of 1960.

Dear Cap Joseph Tomko, Thank you for your service as an Infantry Unit Commander with the 1st Cavalry. Saying thank you isn't enough, but it is from the heart. It is Agent Orange Awareness Month. Time passes quickly. Please watch over America, it still needs your strength, courage, guidance and faithfulness, especially now. Rest in peace with the angels.

I was only 10 when you gave the ultimate sacrifice and all of my memories of you are full of fun! What an amazing man you were, the world suffered a huge loss that day. I will never forget you. With love,