THE WALL OF FACES

“Those who have long enjoyed such privileges as we enjoy forget in time that men have died to win them.” Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Operation Mameluke Thrust (May 19 - October 23, 1968) was 1st Marine Division, III Marine Amphibious Force a search and destroy mission into Happy Valley southwest of Da Nang in Quang Nam Province, RVN. The objective of Mameluke was spoiling attacks against North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong base areas and to preempt any planned offensive against Allied complexes in the Da Nang area. At 12:00 PM on September 11, 1968, a Company M, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines sweep made contact with an unknown-size North Vietnamese Army force near the hamlet of Phu Nam (1), four kilometers (2.4 miles) northwest of An Hoa Airfield. The company was maneuvering across an open rice paddy when it came under intense automatic weapons and small arms fire from the large enemy unit. Numerous Marines were wounded in the initial burst of fire. The company returned fire with unit weapons, then moved back to utilize Marine artillery and air support. The company next assaulted the enemy position and swept the area. The sweep revealed fifteen North Vietnamese Army dead, five enemy prisoners captured, and three AK-47 rifles and one Russian pistol seized. M Company sustained seven Marines and one Navy corpsman killed in the engagement. Ten other Marines were wounded requiring medical evacuation, and another four had non-evacuation minor wounds. There were also seven nonbattle casualties evacuated. The lost Marines included PFC Richard G. Daniels, PFC James K. Hoyez, PFC Armando Lopez, PFC Phillip E. Slaughter, CPL Douglas M. Smith, PFC Thomas W. Steele, and PFC Owen White Jr.; the lost Navy corpsman was HN Thomas E. Welker. Hoyez was killed attempting to resuscitate the mortally wounded corpsman Welker who lay in an exposed position after trying to assist downed Marines. Hoyez was posthumously awarded the Silver Star for bravery. White also gave his life assisting other Marines; he was also posthumously awarded the Silver Star. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and “1st Marine Division (Rein) Command Chronology for September 1968” at ttu.edu]

Dear HN Thomas Welker, Thank you for your service as a Hospitalman with the 5th Marines, Semper Fi, Thank you for the lives you saved. Saying thank you isn't enough, but it is from the heart. Advent has begun. Time passes quickly. Please watch over America, it stills needs your strength, courage, guidance, and faithfulness, especially now. Rest in peace with the angels.

Tom’s father died from injuries received in World War II - as a sole surviving son, Tom was exempt from the draft. However, he joined the Navy, became a medic and died while serving with the Marines. Such a brave selfless man - one of so many. May he Rest In Peace.

Never forgotten.

Semper Fi, Doc