THE WALL OF FACES

CASEY , NOT A DAY GOES BY THAT I DON'T REMEMBER THE GOOD TIMES WE HAD TOGETHER.IT'S BEEN 43 YEARS NOW , BUT ONLY SEEM LIKE DAYS.CAN'T WAIT TILL WE MEET AGAIN.YOU WERE MY UNCLE, BUT MORE LIKE A BIG BROTHER.

Casey is buried at Evergreen Cemetery, Charlotte Court House, Charlotte County,VA.

During the period immediately prior to the Cambodian incursion US and ARVN units conducted extensive operations along the South VietNam and Cambodian border. During March and April of 1970 the 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry opened and closed seven fire bases to support these operations. Fire Base Illingworth, located on Route LTL-20 about 35 kilometers northwest of Tay Ninh City, was opened on 17 March, assaulted by a battalion of the 272nd NVA Regiment in the early morning hours of 01 April, and closed on 04 April as the focus of US operations shifted.

While the assault on FSB Illingworth cost the North Vietnamese nearly two hundred dead, the Americans paid a high price too - 25 known dead, 54 wounded. The US dead were

• A Troop, 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
  o SGT Kenneth R. Hodge, Johnson City, TN (Initially not Identified on Base)
  o CPL John L. Smith, Mill Brook, AL (Initially Identified as C/2-8)

• A Battery, 2nd Battalion, 32nd Artillery
  o SP4 David H. Lassen, Clarence, NY
  o SP4 Terry L. Schell, Chicago, IL

• Headquarters & Headquarters Battery, 2nd Battalion, 32nd Artillery
  o SSG Lawrence E. Sutton, Portland, OR (Bronze Star "V")

• B Battery, 1st Battalion, 77th Artillery
  o PFC Thomas R. Bowen, Forestville, CA
  o 1LT Cleaveland F. Bridgman, South Dartmouth, MA (Silver Star)
  o SSG Benjamin V. Childress, Knoxville, TN
  o SGT Syriac Hebert, Pine Bluff, AR
  o SGT Robert H. Lane, Concord, TN

• Headquarters & Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion, 77th Artillery
  o SP4 Thomas J. Murphy, River Falls, WI
  o SSG Steven J. Williams, Portland, OR

• A Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry
  o CPL Billy P. Carlisle, Pelahatchie, MS (Initially Identified as C/2-8)

• C Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry
  o CPL Leroy J. Fasching, Wibaux, MT
  o SGT Robert A. Hill, Lowell, OH
  o PFC Roger J. McInerny, Richfield, MN
  o CPL Michael R. Patterson, Dearborn, MI
  o SGT Gerald W. Purdon, Cincinnati, OH
  o CPL Klaus D. Schlieben, Richmond, VA

• E Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry
  o CPL Bobby L. Barker, Harvey, IL
  o CPL Nathan J. Mann, Warsaw, MO
  o SGT Brent A. Street, Inglewood, CA (Dist Svc Cross)
  o SGT Casey O. Waller, Cumberland, VA (Dist Svc Cross)

• Headquarters & Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry
  o SGT David G. Dragosavac, Meadville, PA
  o SGT Sidney E. Plattenburger, Charlotte, NC

"An God said who shall we send.I answered I am here,send me."

Isaiah 6:8

Ar Dheis De Go Raibh A Anam

SPECIALIST FOURTH CLASS

CASEY OWEN WALLER


served with


COMPANY E

2nd BATTALION

8th CAVALRY REGIMENT

" HONOR AND COURAGE"

3rd BRIGADE

1st CAVALRY DIVISION (AIRMOBILE)

" THE FIRST TEAM "


Citation:

The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Casey Owen Waller (226-72-9734), Specialist Fourth Class, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam, while serving with Company E, 2d Battalion, 8th Cavalry, 3d Brigade, 1st Cavalry (Airmobile). Specialist Four Waller distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 1 April 1970 while Fire Support Base Illingsworth against an enemy attack in Tay Ninh Province. Following an intense barrage of hostile rocket and mortar fire, the enemy launched an aggressive ground assault on the allied base camp. Specialist Waller immediately left the relative security of his bunker to engage the enemy with his rifle and hand grenades as they approached the base camp perimeter. As the battle raged on, the specialist's weapons malfunctioned and his supply of grenades was exhausted. Refusing to withdraw, he remained on station and continued to resist the enemy utilizing hand-to-hand combat. When a nearby artillery ammunition storage area caught fire, Specialist Waller again refused to withdraw to a more secure position. As he continued his determined fight against the onrushing enemy, the nearby ammunition exploded and mortally wounded him. Specialist Four Waller's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty, at the cost of his life, were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.





YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN

NOR SHALL YOU EVER BE