THE WALL OF FACES

On the 53rd Anniversary of your death, you are not forgotten.

Read about how some friends from HS found the iconic photo of you. Went to Greenlawn Cemetery (Section 104, across from where Section 105 and 125 meet), to pay my respects for your sacrifice.

Your sacrifice is not forgotten.

Read about how friends from HS were able to put a name to the face of the iconic photo. Paid my respects at Greenlawn Cemetery (Section 104, across from where Section 125 and 105 meet).

Thanks for your sacrifice. You were much to young.

God Bless

PFC Lueco Allen Jr. and PSG John L. Holstein were infantrymen, and PFC “Doc” Richard E. Sipes a Medical Corpsman, all three serving with C Company, 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division. On December 29, 1966, they were on a combat operation with their unit when they were ambushed by a hostile force near Bong Son, RVN. The following is a personal account of the incident by Doug Steiner, one of C Company’s radiomen: “It was a good day as I remember. We had chow flown in the night before. The Cav did that a lot. That probably led to part of our problem that day. Charlie knew right where we were. The second platoon was the point platoon and I was RTO (radio telephone operator) for LT Paterson. PFC Allen was point man. He must have spotted the ambush because he opened up and was hit immediately. It’s hard to remember exactly the chain of events when the radio starts going crazy. I believe that PSG Holstein went forward and was killed. Medical corpsman Doc Sipes the Medic went up to see what he could do and was killed. The fire was coming from across the rice paddies. This all happened within minutes. We had ARA (aerial rocket artillery) choppers on the scene within minutes. We were returning fire across the paddies and I was on the radio. I don’t remember if it was to the captain or the gun ships. We started chewing up the tree line. That was when I got hit in the shoulder. We also had several wounded who went out on medevac. I went out on the last ship with my friend Doc Sipes and the other KIAs. It was a terrible thing to see those three men dead and know that I was the lucky one who made it. I later found out that LT Paterson was also hit. I spent a month in and out of the hospital and light duty. That is how I remember that day. It was the last time that I got real close to anyone during my tour. With respect for those who gave all.” [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and information provided by Doug Steiner at 12thcav.us]

Private First Class Lueco Jr., Served with Company C, 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division.