THE WALL OF FACES

Remember to save for them a place inside of you, and save one backward glance when you are leaving, for the places they can no longer go...

John and I servrd together at Ft Wolters, TX and shared a 4 bunk room during flight school along with Bruce Wall and Bobby Walker. John had an outgoing personality and sense of humor I admired. He invited me to go with him on our off-weekends to the Dallas/Ft. Worth area.

Dear WO John Wallace, Thank you for your service as an Utility Light Cargo Single Rotor Helicopter Pilot with the 1st Cavalry. 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 September 26, 1968, a U.S. Army helicopter OH-6A (tail number 67-16079) from Troop C, First Squadron, Ninth Cavalry Regiment, First Cavalry Division (Airmobile) operating in Quang Tri Province (I Corps) was shot down with the loss of three crewmen: pilot WO1 John C. Wallace, gunner SP4 Douglas E. Gossage, and observer SSGT John W. States. There is a personal account of the incident: “We had refueled and armed at LZ Jane earlier and had completed our last refueling at Camp Evans. All in all it had been a good morning and I was looking forward to shutting down and pulling out my lawn chair to work on my R&R tan. I landed (the OH-6A) to a hover on the nasty oiled dirt strip we shared with Bravo Troop and saw WO Wallace running toward my bird. WO1 John C. Wallace was relatively new but had shown skill and aggressiveness. I sat the bird down and Wallace leaned in said, ‘Get out! I need your bird and crew. Lobes Echo (Company E, 1st ARVN Ranger Division operating in I Corps RVN) is in contact and the Snake (AH-1G attack helicopter) is cranking.’ I said, ‘We've already been up for 3.8 hrs. Give me the damn brief or get your own bird up!’ John replied, ‘We don't have time, it looks like it could be a Prairie Fire!’ I stepped out of the LOH, picked up my chicken plate and helmet, and watched as John flew over the concertina wire and turned west headed for the foothills leading to the A Shau Valley. Less than thirty minutes later Cavalier 'White' (1LT James G. Ungaro) walked into my hooch to tell me, ‘Wallace is down and they are all dead!’ WO1 Wallace had checked in with Lobes' Echo and found out they felt they were engaged with at least a Battalion of NVA troops. Echo was under canopy on the high ground that overlooked a depression held on three sides by the NVA. Echo was a company sized unit against a much larger enemy force but they had the high ground and they also had the great equalizer on their side: firepower. John made the initial pass and discovered a 12.7 mm heavy machine gun in a doughnut bunker and had Gossage mark it as they blazed by. The AC of the Snake refused to shoot due to the proximity of the friendly positions. He had recently been involved in a 'short round' incident that had wounded U.S. troops and had been badly reprimanded and humiliated by an officer that should have known better for doing exactly what the U.S. ground commander had requested. While the high bird was fooling around trying to get some artillery cranked up, Wallace decided to take out the gun. He flew in with a combination of M-60 fire and fragmentation grenades and got the 12.7 mm. Unfortunately, the other two positions that were protecting the NVA regimental command post got him. The aircraft landed on the wrecked position of the first gun. SSGT States stepped over what had once been the front console and canopy and went head to head with an NVA who got in the first shot. WO1 Wallace un-strapped and went out the right door and began a run for his life, toward Lobes' Echo who was laying down an intense base of fire to cover him as he ran uphill. With less than 100 meters from the downed bird to the ARVN position, Wallace was hit in his legs 40 meters from relative safety. He went down hard and before he could get up an NVA officer, in full view of the U.S. advisor working with the ARVN troops, shot him in the neck with a pistol. SP4 Gossage had everything he needed: lots of ammo and plenty of targets. The ARVN Rangers said that the sound of the M-60 rattled on until finally the NVA fired an RPG-7 into the downed bird and the gun went silent. When our recovery was completed, the bodies of 12 NVA were found in and around the remains of Zero Seven Niner. Gossage had done his duty! I often reflect on 'what if?' about their loss but realize that on that day their fate intersected their destiny with terrible consequences. It was an honor to have served with them, warriors to the end!” (From J. Bruce Huffman) [Taken from vhpa.org and cavalier44.my100megs.com]

Dear WO John Clayton Wallace, sir

As an American, I would like to thank you for your service and for your sacrifice made on behalf of our wonderful country. The youth of today could gain much by learning of heroes such as yourself, men and women whose courage and heart can never be questioned.

May God allow you to read this, and may He allow me to someday shake your hand when I get to Heaven to personally thank you. May he also allow my father to find you and shake your hand now to say thank you; for America, and for those who love you.

With respect, Sir

Curt Carter