THE WALL OF FACES

On the remembrance of your birthday, your sacrifice is not forgotten.

HOOAH

Never forgotten.

HOOAH

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. May you rest in eternal peace.

You will forever remain in our hearts and prayers

On the morning of February 6, 1967, A Company, 4th Battalion, 12th Infantry, 199th Infantry Brigade conducted search and destroy operations in their area of responsibility. During the mission, A Company discovered a large cache of weapons and rice. These were policed up, and by early afternoon the company was on helicopters being returned to base. During the flight, however, they were diverted and put down in a large patch of elephant grass near Binh Tho, east of Saigon (center) in Gia Dinh Province, RVN, and instructed to search and clear the area. While being inserted, they received sporadic enemy fire. Once on the ground, the company became engaged with a large-sized Viet Cong (VC) force. As the point element moved away from the landing zone, the squad up front was hit hard, suffering heavy casualties. The company maneuvered to flank the enemy which moved inside the attempted envelopment. The Americans were now under heavy fire from multiple directions as UH-1C helicopter gunships and artillery support were brought to bear on the enemy. The VC retreated into reinforced bunkers constructed along a canal where they fought until escaping before sunset. U.S. losses were five killed and thirteen wounded. The lost personnel included SSG Samuel J. Brown, PFC Jimmy L. Bussey, PFC Ronald W. McNeilly, SSG William Roberts, and PFC Samuel D. Thompson. One of the wounded, PFC Larry L. Knutson, was medically evacuated to an Army hospital in Japan where he succumbed to his injuries on March 5, 1967. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and information provided by Don Casey (May 2020)]