THE WALL OF FACES

Say not in grief he is no more, but live in thankfulness that he was.

Remembering you and those who didn't make it home from the Vietnam War. This year makes 50 years since America left Vietnam, but the time that you and those we lost have been gone seems so much longer.

With respect, always.

Dear PFC Douglas Wallen, Thank you for your service as an Infantry Direct Fire Crewman. Your 76th birthday is in 4 days, happy birthday. 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.

Operation Billings (June 12-26, 1967) was planned and conducted by the 3rd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division to destroy elements of the Viet Cong (VC) 271st Regiment, 9th Division which occupied base camp areas north of Phuoc Vinh in Binh Duong Province, RVN. The operation began with 1st Infantry battalions moving progressively north of Phuoc Vinh. Intelligence suggested that the 271st had moved to a large clearing designated Landing Zone (LZ) X-Ray. Third Brigade troops moved from another LZ overland to LZ X-Ray. On the morning of June 17th, the 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment entered LZ X-Ray. The 1/16th Infantry established a perimeter in the tree line around the clearing and waited for the 2nd Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment to arrive. As the first units of 2/28th Infantry arrived, a patrol reported a group of VC approaching from the northwest. At 1:00 PM, the VC attacked, penetrating the northern and northwestern perimeters before being forced back by artillery and gunship support. The VC then launched a second attack against the southeast perimeter, overrunning the defending platoon with the survivors withdrawing into the center of the perimeter. At 1:45 PM, air strikes forced the VC to begin to withdraw and they disengaged under cover of a steady mortar barrage. U.S. losses were 36 killed. They included: (B/2/28) PFC Richard A. Anderson, PFC Alan W. Denney, PFC Alan J. Farhat, SGT Bobby Minton, SP4 Michael J. Morrow, PFC Victoriano P. Sosa Jr., PFC James E. Starks, SP5 John H. Stout, and PFC Lloyd C. Wohlford Jr.; (HHC/1/16) PFC William N. Cole, PFC Gary J. Ernst, SP4 Sammy L. Holmes, SP4 Charles W. Hook, 1LT Douglas A. Logan (posthumously awarded the Silver Star medal), PFC Wallace G. Nye, SP4 Martin L. Plotkin, PFC Leroy Reed, and PFC Douglas D. Wallin (died of wounds 08/26/1967); (A /1/16) PFC John A. Brantley, PFC Emanuel K. Brickhouse, PFC Jerry R. Cook, SP4 Guy W. Clinger Jr., PFC Ronald D. Edenfield, PFC James M. Elchert, PFC Robert T. Harris, SGT Edward E. Heyer, SP4 Carl T. Johnson, PFC Charles P. Kelly, PFC Robert S. Maguire, SP4 Howard A. Mucha, SP4 Stephen M. Noggle, SP4 Wayne A. Pettersen, SGT Alan J. Roese, and SGT Frank G. Romo; (B/1/16) PFC Paul E. Kelly Jr. and PFC Edward A. Smith. A search of the immediate area found 226 VC dead. Over the next few days, the Americans found more VC dead, including one assembly area where 35 were found killed by artillery and airstrikes. [Taken from virtualwall.org and wikipedia.org]

We can tell Memorial Day is coming with the wreaths that hang on front doors, and the small red, white, and blue American flags that line the grass covered graves of the Veterans’ cemeteries all acrosse America. One of those graves is yours, and we honor your life and your memory on this Memorial day.

May we never forget your example and the true cost of our freedoms. You with those who love you paid that cost, and America will be forever indebted.

With respect, always.