THE WALL OF FACES

Never forgotten.

HOOAH

On the remembrance of your 72nd birthday, your sacrifice is not forgotten.

HOOAH

SSGT Frederick Ziegenfelder is buried at Gethsemane Catholic Cemetery in St. Marys, OH.

Your sacrifice is not forgotten.

HOOAH

Firebase Henderson was a U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Army firebase located south of Ca Lu in Quang Tri Province, RVN. The base was occupied by elements of the 2nd Battalion, 501st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion, 11th Artillery, 326th Engineer Battalion and Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) units supporting Operation Texas Star when it was attacked by the North Vietnamese Army’s 33rd Sapper Battalion at 5:05 AM on May 6, 1970. The assault began with rocket-propelled grenades, small arms, satchel charges, recoilless rifle, and mortar fire by a well-organized and coordinated ground attack. The NVA also employed flamethrowers which started fires causing approximately 1000 rounds of 155mm artillery ammunition to explode. Defending forces were supported by aerial rocket artillery (ARA), tube artillery, and gunships accounting for 29 NVA killed. The enemy withdrew at 7:20 AM. Company B, 2nd Battalion (Airmobile), 501st Infantry, moved by air to reinforce Company A, 2nd Battalion (Airmobile), 501st Infantry, and to conduct a daylight sweep. Friendly elements received incoming mortar fire sporadically throughout the day. Artillery, ARA, gunships, and air strikes were employed against enemy mortar positions. An ARVN unit assaulted the south of Henderson to locate and destroy the remainder of the enemy force. A number of friendly casualties were caused by the exploding 155mm artillery ammunition. Twenty-three Americans were killed in action, 33 wounded, and two missing in action. ARVN casualties were 19 killed in action and 45 wounded. The lost Americans included SGT Michael L. Antle, CPL George W. Bennett Jr., SGT Melvin Bowman, SSG Michael F. Brown, SGT Gregory A. Chavez, CPL Douglas W. Day, SSG Robert A. Denton, SGT Jay T. Diller, CPL Lawrence L. Gordon, CPL John E. Granath Jr., CPT Richard A. Hawley Jr., CPL Tommy I. Hindman, SGT Frank F. Lewis, SMAJ Raymond L. Long Jr., SSG David E. Ogden, SGT Dickie W. Reagan, SFC Gary F. Snyder, SP4 Ronald D. Van Beukering, SGT Edward Vesser, SGT John G. Widen, SSG John J. Willey, SP4 David Yeldell, and SSG Frederick P. Zeigenfelder. The day after the battle, the two missing troopers, PFC Larry G. Kier and PFC Refugio T. Teran, were not located by a graves registration detail collecting bodies. In 2002, their remains were positively identified and repatriated. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org, wikipedia.org, and Lessons Learned, Headquarters, 101st Airborne Division, period ending July 31, 1970]

Freddie, we never met but I always looked up to you and I've never forgotten you. Your mom and dad were so very proud of you; Tootie was crushed when you died. Sleep well, Warrior…there comes a brighter day.