THE WALL OF FACES

On the remembrance of your 69th Birthday, your sacrifice is not forgotten.

HOOAH

I still remember the last time I saw you at our farm, just before you left for 'Nam. Never dreamed it would be the last time I saw you. Still think of you often and good time while we were growing up.

He grew up .10 mile from us we road the same school bus; graduated from same High School. R.I.P. Johnny.

Dear Spec 4 John Bruin,
Thank you for your service as an Aircraft Maintenance Apprentice. 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.

On February 23, 1971, the 223rd Combat Aviation Battalion was engaged in a combat operation in the Kingdom of Laos, approximately 20 miles west of Khe Sanh Airfield, RVN. The operation began at approximately 1100 hours and UH-1H troop carrying helicopters made 2 sorties each into the landing zone while being under continual cover of UH-1C helicopter gunships. The UH-1H helicopters had each made a long lift downwind, with a final approach along the long axis of a ridgeline, landing toward the east. The UH-1C gunships were in a covering orbit inside the traffic pattern of the UH-1H helicopters. A total of 38 sorties had been flown into the landing zone, with the UH-1H helicopters landing a single ship each time. The last UH-1H (tail number 67-19516) in the flight began his turn to base leg and on to final approach at a position approximately the center of the ridgeline. At the same time, a UH-1C gunship (tail number 65-09503) was beginning its turn to break away from its pass toward the landing zone. As the UH-1C was in its turn at approximately 40 to 50 degrees angle of bank, the UH-1H helicopter flew into the rotor system of the UH-1C from the left side. The UH-1C lost its rotor system, continued in a left turn, went inverted, and crashed nose low, exploding on impact. The UH-1H continued straight ahead, also losing its rotor system, and crashed in a nose low altitude, exploding on impact. The crew members of both aircraft and the passengers on the UH-1H were killed on impact. The lost crew of the UH-1C included pilots CW2 James A. Miner and WO1 Roy Y. Shinkawa, crew chief SP4 Charles R. Hausherr, and gunner SP5 James E. Barton. The lost UH-1H crew was comprised of pilots 1LT Dennis C. Farris and 1LT Terry M. Usher, crew chief SP4 Terrence A. Ogata, and gunner SP4 John W. Bruin. The UH-1H additionally carried six ARVN passengers, names unknown, who also perished in the crash. [Taken from vhpa.org]