THE WALL OF FACES

A butterfly lights beside us like a sunbeam
And for a brief moment its glory
and beauty belong to our world
But then it flies again
And though we wish it could have stayed...
We feel lucky to have seen it.

Dear Sp4 Bruce Westmoreland, Thank you for your service as a Flight Qualified UH-1 Helicopter Repairer. Saying thank you isn't enough, but it is from the heart. It is Advent, and Christmas is soon. Time passes quickly. Please watch over America, it stills needs your strength, courage, guidance, and faithfulness, especially now. Rest in peace with the angels.

Operation Cochise Green was a security and pacification operation conducted by the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Binh Dinh Province, RVN, from March 30, 1968 to January 31, 1969. Inside the province were the Soui Ca Valley and “Oregon Trail,” busy infiltration routes used by the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) to move men and materials west from the Ho Chi Minh Trail to the Bong Son and Phu My coastal plains. The U.S. conducted aggressive patrolling and built firebases to provide artillery fire support for infantry operating against the enemy interlopers. Also, along National Route QL-19, strong points were established with armored personnel carriers (APC’s) in a ready-reaction posture to respond to calls for assistance. The Viet Cong (VC) and North Vietnamese Army (NVA) were displeased with these developments. Subsequently, the enemy launched frequent ambushes against Allied units and repeatedly mined the roadway along QL-19. The continuing threats against U.S. convoys on QL-19 meant air cover was routinely provided for larger groups of vehicles moving on the roadway. Early in the morning of January 24, 1969, one of these aircraft crashed and burned near Strong Point #10, about thirteen miles west of An Khe. The UH-1C helicopter gunship (#66-00579) from the 170th Attack Helicopter Company “Buccaneers” was in low level flight for LZ Schueller when it lost hydraulics after reportedly being hit by fragments from a rocket-propelled grenade. The helicopter entered into a left turn and never recovered, impacting the ground inverted. There were no survivors. The lost crew included aircraft commander WO1 William H. McDonnell, pilot WO1 Scott C. Griswold, crew chief SP4 Bruce W. Westmoreland, and gunner SP4 John O. Tafoya. The Scout Platoon of 1st Battalion, 50th Infantry, 173rd Airborne Brigade secured the crash site. The wreckage was still burning, and they were unable to extinguish the fire. When extracting the remains, they located only three bodies. After a search of the area, they found the aircraft commander’s body still strapped into his seat approximately 75-100 yards southwest of the wreck. A second Buccaneer flight arrived at the scene, and the remains, now placed in human remains pouches (body bags), were put aboard the aircraft and flown to back to their base in Pleiku. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org, vhpa.org, and “History of 1st Battalion (Mechanized), 50th Infantry, 173rd Airborne Brigade, 1 January 1969 – 31 March 1969” at ichiban1.org]

Dear SP4 Bruce Wayne Westmoreland, sir

As an American, I would like to thank you for your service and for your sacrifice made on behalf of our wonderful country. The youth of today could gain much by learning of heroes such as yourself, men and women whose courage and heart can never be questioned.

May God allow you to read this, and may He allow me to someday shake your hand when I get to Heaven to personally thank you. May he also allow my father to find you and shake your hand now to say thank you; for America, and for those who love you.

With respect, Sir

Curt Carter

You gave your life for your country and for this we Salute You.