THE WALL OF FACES

The 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry “Bobcats” were sent to Vietnam in January 1966, assigned to the 2nd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division. The 1/5 Infantry was a mechanized unit utilizing M113 armored personnel carriers and Patton M48A3 tanks. During its first three months in country, the 2nd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division with the attached 1/5 Infantry was engaged in continuous ground combat against the Viet Cong (VC) to secure a base of operations for itself near Tan An Hoi in the Cu Chi District of Hau Nghia Provence, RVN. On the early morning of February 14, 1966, A Company, 1/5 Infantry prepared to depart its base camp and move across the Ben Muong waterway on a dismounted Reconnaissance in Force of the area beyond the stream. A densely jungled rubber plantation honey-combed with Viet Cong tunnels and overrun by snipers, it was known to American GIs as "Hell's Half Acre." The Bobcats crossed their line of departure at 6:30 AM. Three hours later, they were making slow but steady progress on the sweep, destroying thatch-roofed huts and tunnels and confiscating rice caches. By 11:00 AM, they had sustained ten wounded. Shortly after, two Chicom Claymores anti-personnel mines were command detonated by the VC, killing eight and wounding three. The lost personnel included (from A-1/5 Inf) CPT William A. Hoos Jr., SSG Gene C. Milligan, SP4 Walter N. Ammons, and PFC Ira C. Boggs Jr.; (from C Btry, 1st Bn, 8th Arty Rgt) Forward Observers SGT John W. O. Groover and PFC Bobby J. Braswell; and (from 25th Admin Co, 25th Inf Div) journalist PFC Terry J. Reed; also killed was Canagarathan “Charles” Chellappah, a photojournalist with the Associated Press. His final roll of film captured dramatic photographs of wounded soldiers being treated after the first Claymore explosion. He died in the subsequent blast. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org, virtualwall.org, and wikipedia.org; Image: Photo of injured Americans taken by Charles Chellappah moments before his death.]

Posted on behalf of Jerry & Becky Seay. Memorial Day is tomorrow, so just stopping by to say that we still remember, we still love you & we still miss you. Thank you for your service & thank you for your sacrifice. May your memory be for a blessing. Gone too soon, but never forgotten.

May those who served never be forgotten. Rest in peace PFC. Braswell, I salute your brave soul. My heart goes out to you and your family.

Do not stand at my grave and weep
I am not there; I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow,
I am the diamond glints on snow,
I am the sun on ripened grain,
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning's hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there; I did not die.

Bobby I never had a chance to meet you in person but I was married to your brother. I have heard so many stories not just from family but from all over town. Gary is with you now with so many family members. God bless and love to you all