THE WALL OF FACES

On November 26, 1968, a U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H from the 15th Medical Battalion was conducting a medical evacuation when it was shot down near Quan Loi and crashed and burned. There were no survivors. The lost crewmen included pilots CWO James D. Doran and 1LT Stephen C. Beals, crew chief SP4 John S. Alling Jr., and medics SP5 Johnny G. Gregg and CPL Robert E. Jones. There were six passengers aboard at the time of the shoot down. They included PFC Roger D. Algire, SP4 William M. Ebel, SP4 Bobby J. Perkins, SP4 Pietro Piconi, SP4 Curtis H. Rainer, and SP4 Patrick E. Smith. Also aboard was the body of PFC Lloyd A. Chess, who was killed in action previous to the attempted medical extraction. Chess was posthumously promoted to Corporal. The aircraft went down northwest of LZ Rita. The medevac reportedly received heavy ground fire and crashed roughly three miles south of the Cambodian border. At the time of the shoot down, all infantry companies in the vicinity had received orders to move south or southwest in a hurry to clear the area for an impending B-52 Arc Light strike. Two rifle companies were airlifted back to the location of the downed medevac. On November 28th (Thanksgiving Day), they located the wreckage and the bodies, confirmed the fatalities, and called for recovery assistance. All the bodies were recovered and airlifted back to Quan Loi. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and vhpa.org]

Flowers for you often. Smiles remembering our last moments. Heaven got one heck of an angel.

I think of you daily and miss you so. One day we will meet again for eternity.

DEAR PFC ALGIRE,
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AS AN INDIRECT FIRE INFANTRYMAN WITH THE 1ST CAV. THAT WAS A FRIEND'S BROTHER DIVISION. I HOPE YOU GREETED HIM IN HEAVEN.

THE WAR MAY BE FORGOTTEN BUT THE WARRIOR WILL ALWAYS BE REMEMBERED!!!! REST IN PEACE ROGER. :-(