VIEW ALL PHOTOS (11)
HONORED ON PANEL 20W, LINE 84 OF THE WALL
FRANK DANIEL WALTHERS
WALL NAME
FRANK D WALTHERS
PANEL / LINE
20W/84
DATE OF BIRTH
CASUALTY PROVINCE
DATE OF CASUALTY
HOME OF RECORD
COUNTY OF RECORD
STATE
BRANCH OF SERVICE
RANK
REMEMBRANCES
LEFT FOR FRANK DANIEL WALTHERS
POSTED ON 6.22.2022
POSTED BY: Mike Pontarelli
Niles West 67
You will always be remembered, rest in peace Frankie
POSTED ON 10.19.2020
POSTED BY: jerry sandwisch wood cty. ohio nam vet 1969-70 army 173rd abn bde
You are not forgotten
The war may be forgotten but the warrior will always be remembered. All gave Some-Some gave All. Rest in peace Sky Soldier.
POSTED ON 7.31.2020
POSTED BY: Nadia Walthers Virgili
Hey Frankie it's "Lucy"
POSTED ON 7.18.2020
POSTED BY: Tommy
What Happened on August 1, 1969
Ranger William's was Frank's squad leader (Team 25, C Co. 75th Infantry, Airborne Rangers).
On August 1st, 1969 the five man team walked into a base camp of an NVA Battalion (200 - 300 Communist Soldiers).
The Team Members included: John Leppelman, Gary Frye, Frankie Walthers, Hoa (Kit Carson Scout), and Harold Williams.
Lt Rick Grimes was overhead coordinating fire support in an O-1 Birddog.
As the team was being overrun during a fierce firefight (in which Frank Walthers was killed), Williams repeatedly requested gunship support right on top of his position. All Team Members were wounded in the firefight and/or from schrapnel from the helicopter rocket launchers and mini-guns.
In response to the fierce firefight an American reaction force (a platoon of Army infantrymen) landed on a mountain top and worked their way down to the team.
At the same time an ARVN (South Vietnamese Army Company) was to land in the valley below and fight their way up to the team.
The American pilots reported the ARVN's would not get out of the helicopters. Lt Grimes instructed the pilots to have their door gunners throw them out.. and they did! Unfortunately, the ARVN's set up a perimeter and didn't move up the hill until the following day.
The American platoon fought their way down to the Ranger team and spent the night alone without the ARVN support. Sometime in the early evening, the platoon leader of the reaction force reported that Ranger Williams went to secure the radio from Walther's dropped backpack and was wounded again.
At daybreak, the team was extracted from the battle zone landing on the tarmac in Phan Thiet. Only three Rangers got off the helicopters.
Williams and Walthers remains were brought out later that day.
On August 1st, 1969 the five man team walked into a base camp of an NVA Battalion (200 - 300 Communist Soldiers).
The Team Members included: John Leppelman, Gary Frye, Frankie Walthers, Hoa (Kit Carson Scout), and Harold Williams.
Lt Rick Grimes was overhead coordinating fire support in an O-1 Birddog.
As the team was being overrun during a fierce firefight (in which Frank Walthers was killed), Williams repeatedly requested gunship support right on top of his position. All Team Members were wounded in the firefight and/or from schrapnel from the helicopter rocket launchers and mini-guns.
In response to the fierce firefight an American reaction force (a platoon of Army infantrymen) landed on a mountain top and worked their way down to the team.
At the same time an ARVN (South Vietnamese Army Company) was to land in the valley below and fight their way up to the team.
The American pilots reported the ARVN's would not get out of the helicopters. Lt Grimes instructed the pilots to have their door gunners throw them out.. and they did! Unfortunately, the ARVN's set up a perimeter and didn't move up the hill until the following day.
The American platoon fought their way down to the Ranger team and spent the night alone without the ARVN support. Sometime in the early evening, the platoon leader of the reaction force reported that Ranger Williams went to secure the radio from Walther's dropped backpack and was wounded again.
At daybreak, the team was extracted from the battle zone landing on the tarmac in Phan Thiet. Only three Rangers got off the helicopters.
Williams and Walthers remains were brought out later that day.