THE WALL OF FACES

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Mark is buried at Provo City Cemetery, Provo,UT.

You and I never knew eachother, But I was a friend of a member of your family for years. I remember your family talking about you and seeing the sorrow and loss on their faces when they did. They surely loved and missed you dearly and I know they still do and always will. I know they do even though I lost contact with them years ago. Your family keeps you in a very safe place deep in their hearts. No one will ever take your place in their lives. There will never be another you. THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH for serving our GREAT COUNTRY and for giving the ULTIMATE SACRIFICE of YOUR PRECIOUS LIFE to ensure our on-going freedoms. The freedoms that your family and mine are still enjoying today. The freedoms that my beautiful Kids and Grandkids enjoy every day of their lives even though many of them are still too young to understand those freedoms. Someday they will because as they grow I will teach them as I always have with other family members. My whole family has always had the GREATEST RESPECT for the MILITARY and for ALL who have served. I want you to know that the PRECIOUS SACRIFICE that you gave for us all will NEVER EVER be forgotten in any way, shape, or form. NO ONE will EVER forget you or that SACRIFICE. You and every other person who has ever served and who are serving now and who ever will serve will always be in our hearts and on our minds. Not a day ever goes by that your PRECIOUS SACRIFICE does not touch. We will all FOREVER be SOOOO VERY VERY PROUD of and THANKFUL for ALL who've served for us and for the family members of our future generations, also. We will FOREVER REMEMBER and HONOR you. So on behalf of ALL OF US I would LOVE to say a HUGE and MOST HEARTFELT THANK YOU to YOU and to ALL your fellow service men and women for EVERYTHING you have done, are still doing, and will do yet in the future for the PRECIOUS FREEDOMS of ALL of us.THANK YOU!!!!

I have the honor and privilege of reading your name tomorrow, November 10 at approximately 1:32 p.m. at The Wall. Thank you for your service to our country and for giving the ultimate sacrifice of your life. My heart goes out to your family and friends who must still
mourn your loss.

Slip off that pack. Set it down by the crooked trail. Drop that steel pot alongside. Shed those magazine-laden bandoliers away from your sweat-soaked shirt. Lay that silent weapon down and step out of the heat. Feel the soothing cool breeze right down to your soul ... and rest forever in the shade of our love, brother.

Mark Dee Vincent was a member of Bravo Company, First Battalion, 46th Infantry, 196th Light Infantry Brigade, Americal Division. He is honored here by the veterans of 1/46th.

"The Professionals," of 1/46 came in-country via the USS Upshur on October 4, 1967 as part of the 198th Light Infantry Brigade. The 198th became part of the Americal Division. After one month of orientation at Duc Pho, the battalion was deployed north of Chu Lai and patrolled from Hill 54, Hill 69, LZ Young and LZ Baldy in Quang Tin Province. In March of 1969, the battalion moved to LZ Professional, in the mountains southwest of Tien Phuoc, Quang Tin Province, to relieve a battered 1/52 Infantry of the 198th. In July of 1969, 1/46, which had been operating under operational control of the 196th LIB of the Americal, became a permanent member of that brigade. The battalion operated from LZ Professional until August of 1970. In February of 1970, the battalion established a temporary firebase at LZ Mary Ann, at a remote mountain site near Hau Duc, Quang Tin Province. The battalion returned to Mary Ann in the summer of 1970 and operated from there and LZ Young, which was between Tien Phuoc and Tam Ky, during 1970 and 1971. The battalion left Mary Ann in April of 1971 when the Americal Division was deactivated and the 196th Brigade reverted to its status as an independent brigade and deployed at Danang, to provide security for the port. In June, 1972, 1/46 left Vietnam. Of the names on this wall, 249 of them, close to half the battalion's actual field strength at any given time in Vietnam, were members of 1/46, or died while deployed with us.