THE WALL OF FACES

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. The remembrances from those who served with you attest to their love and respect for you. As long as you are remembered you will always be with us...

Thank you for your service and your sacrifice. Thank you for stepping up and answering your country's call. Rest easy knowing you will never be forgotten.

Petty Officer Second Class Howard Frank Burns, Served with Detachment 3 (Qui Nhon), Inshore Undersea Warfare Group 1 (IUWG-1), Task Force 115 (TF-115), United States Naval Forces Vietnam (USNAVFORV).

Dear QM2 Howard Burns,
Thank you for your service as a Quartermaster 2nd Class. Your 49th anniversary in heaven just passed. Be at peace. 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.

SM2 Robert L. Bouchet, QM Howard F. Burns, and GMG3 Herman A. Miller II were assigned to Task Force 115, Detachment III Qui Nhon, Inshore Undersea Warfare Group One (IUWG-1), U.S. Naval Forces Vietnam. On August 11, 1968, they were conducting a harbor patrol and surveillance mission in a Boston Whaler in the Northern Inner Harbor at Qui Nhon to protect friendly shipping and military vessels from attack by enemy sneak craft, swimmers, sabotage, and other threats. Bouchet, Burns, and Miller were part of an ambush operation that went sour. Their Boston Whaler was converted and stripped down, containing no armor, just an M60 machine gun. While they were interdicting a sampan in a free-fire zone, a decision was made by the officer-in-charge to try and board the sampan rather than open fire. The Viet Cong opened fire first, killing all three. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org, iuwg1vets.org, and togetherweserved.com]