THE WALL OF FACES

The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotions and spends himself in a great worthy cause; who at the best, knows in the end triumph of high achievement and, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while caring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold, timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat. Theodore Roosevelt

Dear Lt James Walker, Thank you for your service as an Infantry Unit Commander. Saying thank you isn't enough, but it is from the heart . Halloween is soon. Time passes quickly. Please watch over America, it still needs your strength, courage, guidance and faithfulness, especially now. Rest in peace with the angels.

On June 5, 1969, a 2nd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division task force consisting of Companies B and C, 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry, and Companies A and C, 1st Battalion (Mechanized), 5th Infantry, elements of the 3/49 Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) Regiment, and Company A, 2nd Battalion, 34th Armor clashed sharply with the 268th Viet Cong/North Vietnamese Army Regiment three miles northwest of Trang Bang in Hau Nghia Province, RVN. At 12:48 PM, the allied forces engaged a large concentration of entrenched enemy soldiers. Artillery and helicopter gunships were brought to bear on the enemy positions. In the exchange of fire, six Americans were killed, thirteen wounded, and three armored personnel carriers destroyed. The lost personnel included (from A/1/5) PFC Robert E. Langston (posthumously awarded Bronze Star medal), PFC Patrick E. Poppenga, and 2LT James D. Walker (posthumously awarded Silver Star medal); (from C/1/5) SP4 David P. Callahan and PFC James A. Mardis Jr.; and (from HHC/1/5) SP4 Charles M. Ramsey. Langston and Poppenga were posthumously promoted to Corporal, and Ramsey was posthumously promoted to Sergeant. A helicopter gunship from the 116th Assault Helicopter Company, call sign Stinger 552, a UH-1C (#66-00552), was shot down, crashing in the middle of the enemy position. Three crewmen survived the initial crash but were killed on the ground. The lost crew included pilots WO1 Richard J. Holman and 1LT Jimmy W. Crisp, crew chief SP4 Ronald R. Baker, and gunner SP4 Steven W. Herring. [Taken from virtualwall.org and 12thinfantry2ndbattalion.com]

The big brother that always never left my side when I was 10 years old. He never stopped until they stopped him. Took 26 of the enemy before they got him. MOS 1543.Unit motor Commander Buried in Santa Maria ,California. Silver Star, Bronze Star in 29 days. We Have the Honor and Remenberence flag here we fly with his name on it.

From Your little brother. I miss you but do attend your grave now along with mom and dads here in Santa Maria.