THE WALL OF FACES

Dear PFC Charles Weitzel, Thank you for your service as a Rifleman. Your 77th birthday is in 9 days, Christmas Eve, happy birthday. 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.

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

Private First Class Charles Robert Wetzel was the son of Edward H. Wetzel and Caroline S. Wetzel of Penns Grove, NJ. PFC Wetzel was a Marine Rifleman, age 20, born December 24, 1945, from Penns Grove, NJ. PFC Wetzel arrived in Vietnam on July 6, 1965 and was assigned to Hotel Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division (Rein), III MAF, FMFPac. On March 4, Operation UTAH was launched under the command of Task Force Delta in the Son Thinh District of Quang Ngai Province where the Marines would encounter elements of the 21st NVA Regiment. On D-day 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines conducted a helicopter assault near the Chau Ngai complex of villages and was heavily engaged with a regiment of NVA regulars near Hill 50 and Hill 35. Elements of F Company and H Company were overrun but were able to recover and consolidate to a night position near Chau Ngai 4. By the end of D-Day, 2/7 counted 94 enemy KIA and estimated 63 WIA. Friendly losses were 44 KIA and 84 WIA. An additional 20+ persons received minor wounds and were not evacuated. The next day, 5 March, the battle moved to the North and 2/7 cleaned up the battlefields from the day before, recovering the dead, and clearing out caves and bunkers. On March 4, 1966, PFC Wetzel was killed in action dying outright from enemy small arms fire. PFC Wetzel is interred at Saint Mary's Cemetery - Salem, New Jersey and is honored on the Vietnam Memorial on Panel 05E, Line 111.

I did not personally know Charles or his family but yesterday I proudly wore his name while running the Marine Corps Marathon. Thank you Charles for your service! And thank you to his family for sharing his story.

I rolled my ankle at mile 4 and almost went down I would like to think I didn’t because of Charles.