THE WALL OF FACES

Thank you grand dad for serving our country!!! I never met u but my dad talks about you alot.. I love you

You will forever remain in our hearts and prayers

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. As long as you are remembered you will always be with us....

During the pre-dawn hours of March 9, 1968, the Battle of LZ Litts took place two miles northeast of Phu My City in Binh Dinh Province, RVN. Nineteen Armored Personnel Carriers (APCs) were in formation, using the area for a night laager when they were hit by enemy fire beginning at approximately 3:15 AM. The 8th Battalion of the 22nd North Vietnamese Army (NVA) Regiment, as part of its mission to reinforce the 2nd Viet Cong Regiment, attacked D Company, 1st Battalion (Mechanized), 50th Infantry, with a continuous B-40 Rocket Barrage that was first reported as incoming mortar fire. The primary attack came from the west and northwest, with other assaults from the south and north. PFC Joseph E. Perez, a driver of one of the APC’s, died after a rocket round penetrated the front wall of the track, killing him instantly. Another trooper, SP4 Willie B. Bradford, was killed when an incoming mortar round exploded near the tent he had pitched behind his APC. Bradford suffered a massive throat wound and despite the determined effort of the medic, he likely died immediately. Also killed in the battle were PFC Melvin R. Leavell and SP4 Edward M. Sternin. Illumination flares which had been prudently prepared before the battle and tripped by the NVA revealed hundreds of enemy troops attacking in various sized formations. Fifty-caliber and M60 machine guns, as well as close-in mortar fire, M16 rifle, and grenades rained a hot counterattack on the enemy. Dozens of NVA were confirmed killed in the assault. The Delta Company Commanding Officer was wounded in the initial volley and the main communications antennae were knocked out, causing a temporary lapse in reporting the events to the Battalion TOC (Tactical Operations Center) at nearby LZ Uplift. During the battle, a medivac helicopter crew survived a crash caused by enemy fire and crawled into the friendly APC encirclement. Medivac of wounded was not affected until 6:30 AM. Apart from the four U.S. losses, one APC was totally destroyed and four others were severely damaged. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and ichiban1.org]

DEAR SPEC 4 WILLIE BRADFORD,
THANKS FOR YOUR SERVICE AS AN INFANTRYMAN. IT IS MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND, BUT ON ALL DAYS WE SHOULD HONOR YOU. IT HAS BEEN FAR TOO LONG FOR ALL OF YOU TO HAVE BEEN GONE. WE APPRECIATE ALL YOU HAVE DONE, AND YOUR SACRIFICE. WATCH OVER THE U.S.A., IT STILL NEEDS YOUR COURAGE. GOD BLESS YOU. MAY THE ANGELS BE AT YOUR SIDE. REST IN PEACE. YOU ARE ALL IN OUR PRAYERS.