THE WALL OF FACES

Operations El Paso and El Paso II (May 19 - July 13, 1966) were conducted by the U.S. Army's 3rd Brigade of the 1st Infantry Division in Binh Long Province, RVN. In April 1966, prisoner interrogations revealed that the Viet Cong (VC) 271st and 273rd Regiments were planning a major offensive near Loc Ninh. On June 11th, Company A, 2/28th Infantry, patrolling northwest of Loc Ninh with a platoon of CIDG indigenous soldiers, was engaged by the VC 1st Battalion, 273rd Regiment, located on two adjacent hills, Hill 150 and Hill 177. As the battle developed, Company C, 2/28th Infantry, was deployed as reinforcements, and following air and artillery strikes, assaults were launched on the hills. At 2:30 PM, Company C and the battalion's reconnaissance platoon assaulted Hill 177 from the south and west but were pushed back by a VC counterattack. The reconnaissance platoon retreated to a position in a trench covered by a VC machine gun and lost seventeen killed. Despite this, by 4:15 PM, the VC were forced from the hill and withdrew northwest, harassed by air and artillery strikes. On Hill 150, Company A made two assaults, both of which were repulsed. Company B then joined the fight, and by 4:30 PM, had forced the VC from the hill where they were ambushed by a waiting CIDG Company. U.S. losses were thirty-four killed. The lost personnel included: (A/2/28) SP4 Henry Burch, SGT John E. Miller, and PFC Roy S. Pitt; (B/2/28) SP4 Charles H. Shelton; (C/2/28) SP4 Dennis E. Brown, PFC David G. Bryan, SP4 Willie Cole Jr., PFC Michael A. Garris, SP4 Donel R. Johnson, PFC Jerry W. Looney, PFC Herman R. Meneely, PFC Tim A. Noe, PFC Clae T. Norman, SSG James W. Phair, PFC Harvey J. Profitt, PFC Ronald Richards, and SSG Franz X. Wallner; (Recon Platoon) SP4 Kenneth A. Babb, PFC Dannie G. Braswell, PFC Ronald J. Brissette, PFC Thomas S. Cameron, PFC Thomas W. Chatburn III, SSG Ernest L. Duran, SGT Grady L. Elder, PFC Charles E. Ford, PFC James E. Hill, PFC Louis A. Jefferson, SSG Glen D. Lofton, PFC Richard A. Mitchell, PFC Jack R. Price, PFC Jessie E. Shannon, PFC Michael T. Sukara, PFC John R. Thompson, and PFC J.C. Williams. PFC Noe was posthumously awarded the Silver Star medal. VC losses were 98 by body count with subsequent intelligence indicating that half the VC 1st Battalion had been killed. [Taken from virtualwall.org and “Stemming the Tide” by John M. Carland]

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. The remembrance from your sister Sharon is especially poignant. As long as you are remembered you will always be with us...

Dear PFC Brown,
Thank you for your service as an Infantryman. It is another summer, as time continues to pass since Vietnam. It is important for us all to acknowledge the sacrifices of those like you who answered our nation's call. Please watch over America, it stills needs your courage and faithfulness. Rest in peace with the angels.

As a member of my fire team, I 'humped' the jungle with Dennis for 4 months prior to his death. Dennis was a gentleman warrior, always calm and habitually quiet, but always there when needed. On 11 June we were the first to engage a battalion sized force. I survived and 3 others with us (at that point) did not. Dennis died instantly and I know he felt no pain. There has not been a day in the last 50 years that I have not thought of him and the others, god bless 'em

Our great nation lost 34 soldiers in The Battle of Loc Ninh - Hill 177 on June 11, 1966 ... among those was my brother, Dennis, who was only 20 years old ... for his heroic actions, Dennis was awarded the Bronze Star ... his family is so very proud of him and we miss him dearly every day ...

Sharon Brown Taylor