THE WALL OF FACES

Dear Cpl William Vaughn, Thank you for your service as an Infantryman. Saying thank you isn't enough, but it is from the heart . Autumn has begun. Time passes quickly. Please watch over America, it still needs your strength, courage, guidance and faithfulness, especially now. Rest in peace with the angels.

PFC William O. Vaughn was an infantryman serving with B Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry, 199th Infantry Brigade. During 1969, the 199th was responsible for the security of the region north and east of the capital of Saigon, RVN. On December 26, 1969, B Company was lifted by helicopter from their battalion headquarters at Blackhorse Base Camp to the northwest to conduct search and destroy operations. The door gunners killed three enemy combatants upon arrival to the landing zone. The company moved a few hundred yards west, made no contact with the enemy, and dug in for the night. The following day, they mostly patrolled from their night defensive position, noting an active enemy presence but making no contact. On the third day, they moved south, crossing a deep stream. Two hundred yards later, the point element was fired on by enemy concealed in a bunker to their front. The company pulled back to let artillery and strikes destroy the enemy. They returned the following day to inspect the damage and retrieve any material left behind by the enemy. After hunkering down overnight, they received an ammo resupply and scout dog on the morning of December 30th. After moving out only 200 yards, the dog alerted in front of another enemy bunker. Allowing the Americans to approach within 15 feet, the point element was raked by rifle and machine gun. Vaughn went down, and a medic was wounded in the leg attempting to pull him back. With artillery and air support unavailable, the company withdrew. The senior company medic, assisted by the wounded aidman, worked furiously to save Vaughn who had been hit in the center of the chest. The company commander crawled forward to help and sat Vaughn up to keep him breathing. He died a minute later in the commander’s arms. With much effort, Vaughn’s body was carried to the stream they had crossed days earlier. One soldier volunteered to take him across, but collapsed midway, losing Vaughn’s body beneath the swift water. Another trooper dove in, and in a herculean display, recovered the body and carried it 500 yards to the landing zone. A medivac aircraft soon arrived, and several soldiers placed the poncho-draped body of Vaughn on the helicopter with the wounded medic. Vaughn was posthumously promoted to Corporal. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and the book “Vietnam, 1969-1970: A Company Commander’s Journal” by Michael L. Lanning]

Bill and my late husband Jerry Creselious were great friends and were in the army together and sent to Vietnam at the same time. Bill was with us every day on there last leave before Vietnam I have a lot of good memories of those days.

Happy Birth Day Joe, you are loved and I will hold you in my heart until we meet again in Gods Kingdom, love Helen ????

Corporal William Orel Vaughn, Served with Company B, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, 199th Infantry Brigade, United States Army Vietnam.