THE WALL OF FACES

I am the Curator of the POW/MIA Bracelet Display in the Vietnam Hangar of the Palm Springs Air Museum in Palm Springs, California where we now have over two thousand bracelets and would be honored to include your bracelet in our Display should you have one. If you no longer have your bracelet or are an immediate family member (spouse, fiancé, sibling, child, grandchild, cousin, niece, nephew, or close friend) I can order one for the Display in your name with funds donated by our Museum visitors.
https://palmspringsairmuseum.org/vietnam-pow-bracelet-display/
Dr. Dave Thompson
Palm Springs Air Museum
POW/MIA Bracelet Display Curator
Lt. Commander U.S. Navy 1964-1970
10-103 Lakeview Dr. Rancho Mirage, Ca 92270
760-328-0859 760-464-6843 [email protected]

Never forget.

Semper Fi, Marine

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. It remains my fervent hope you will be returned home.

You will forever remain in our hearts and prayers

On the evening of 14 December 1966 Echo Company moved from their ambush site to the south bank of the Song La Tho River.

LCpl. Brigham and his team were located upstream from PFC Cummings' team. The rest of the platoon dug in some 500 yards away. An hour later LCpl. Brigham's squad opened fire on a VC element moving along the opposite riverbank. The squad leader was sending two men across the river to check the bodies.

PFC Cummings watched A.B. Brigham and Poncho preparing to cross the muddy river. LCpl. Brigham entered the water upstream from PFC Cummings' squad with Poncho right behind him. As the two Marines swam across the fast moving river, the Americans heard an enemy AK-47 rifle go off. The VC had come back for their dead.

As he watched his friends' progress, He appeared to be struggling to keep afloat when his head went under water, then popped up again as the river's current began to pull him downstream.

Over the next several minutes, PFC Cummings swam as hard as he could with the current to reach A.B. Brigham. He swam to the middle of the river and dove under to try to locate him there, but again found nothing.

Over the next several hours, the five Marines continued to examine the Song La Tho River from the point where LCpl. Brigham disappeared for a distance of at least 500 meters downstream.

The entire search operation continued until just before dusk.

At the time the formal search was terminated, A.B. Brigham was reported as Killed in Action/Body Not Recovered.