THE WALL OF FACES

There is a place
Not far from here
Where spirits walk
And heroes live
And honor still resides.

It is a wall
With names inscribed
Of those who served
When they were asked...
The brothers of my youth.

I go there still
To walk and think
About my life,
And what I've done since
And things that might have been.

There is a debt
I can't repay
Too many lives were spent.
And one man's life cannot suffice
To make their deaths worthwhile.

But there is hope
In the memory
Of those we leave behind
Who know the price that freedom brings
Who can carry on in kind.

I send you now
To touch a name
So the vision can be passed
Remember there is honor still
It is for you to see it lasts.

They are not dead
And have a wish
As all old soldiers do
The reflection you see before you now
Is their wish to live in you.

On December 18, 1965, under enemy fire, in the Bong Son plains area
La Drang Valley. Captain Ted Danielsen order Sgt. Robert Gonzales and PFC Lloyd Keene (called country/radio operator) to retrieve Lt. Tweedy and Sgt. Thompson.

Dear Lt Stuart Tweedy, Thank you for your service as an Airborne Qualified Infantry Unit Commander with the 1st Cavalry. The 57th anniversary of the start of your tour is soon. Saying thank you isn't enough, but it is from the heart. It is Labor Day weekend. 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 met Steu on my way to join the Army. We ended up in the same platoon through Basic Training, Advanced Infantry Training and Officers Candidate School. He was my best Army buddy and I think of him often. He went off to airborn training and I to the 4th Infantry Divison in Washington. We wrote a few letters to each other until I got my last one returned stating that he had deceased. I was heartbroken.
Stewart was a mighty fine person and I do hope that he and his loved ones are at peace with their higher power for ever and ever.
Regards,
Frank Willis 1st LT U S Army Retired

dec 18 1965 made a early morning air assault into Idrang valley as soon as we landed we started to receive hostile fire we all gathered in the river for cover alone the river bank that was approx 5 ft high at one bend in the river fire was coming from a ridge just to the east of us approx 500 ft high we had to take the ridge for we had no cover other then the river or a dike that had been a rice patty at one time LT tweedy said throw everything away that you don't need were taking that ridge we were standing in the river at the time troopers started throwing ropes C rations every thing that would bog you down then we advanced from the river firing our m-16 m-79 and machine guns we went around 100 yards and took cover behind the dike we had a FO with us he said ill call in 105 for support on the ridge he said get your heads down its coming in it fell short and landed in the middle of us LT.tweedy was hit badly in the chest and stomach sgt jim thompson was a few feet away he was hit also very badly SP/4 Gary Schauers was hit in the upper leg and a toe was blown off SP/4 Nathan Villiegomez was also hit in the upper thy and was bleeding badly the FO called off the artillery we left all the wounded in the dried out rice Patty with our medic giving all the aid that he could waiting for the medic vac choppers to come in LT tweedy died on the way to the mash unit we took the hill but a sad night for all of us when we learned LT tweedy and SGT jim thompson had died he was one of the best LT that i ever served with in my army there is not a day that goes by that i don't think of him and jim and that day