THE WALL OF FACES

I still remember that day. May you rest peacefully.
May your family know how great of a guy you were.

Fireman Jose Ballentine Campos, Served aboard Armored Troop Carrier 151-5 (T-151-5), River Assault Squadron 15, Task Force 117 (TF-117), United States Naval Forces Vietnam (USNAVFORV).

River Assault Squadron 15, consisting of 17 Armoured Troop Carriers (ATC), six monitors, one Command and Communications Boat (CCB), 2 Assault Support Patrol Boats (ASPB), and one LCM-6 (flame charging unit) with 2nd Battalion Vietnamese troops embarked, began find, fix and destroy operations along the Song Cai Tu and Song Cai Lon rivers on the morning of January 11, 1969. The operation was planned in order to interdict enemy forces suspected to be in the region. The enemy had been using the area as a staging and storage locale to conduct offensive operations in Chuong Thien, Kien Giang and Phong Dinh provinces. Numerous troop insertions along beaches took place, although contact with enemy ground forces above squad size did not occur. After troop landings, river assault craft established blocking and interdiction stations and checked a total of 189 sampans throughout the operation which lasted until January 18th during which time nine Viet Cong suspects were detained. Enemy attempts to repulse the riverine forces took the form of eight enemy-initiated firefights. Of the total of 26 USN wounded, five occurred on January 14th as ATC-151-5 was sunk by a water mine on the Song Cai Tu, 5 1/2 miles southwest of Vi Thanh, while river assault craft were proceeding to refueling stations at Vi Thanh. Two sailors, BTFN Jose B. Campos and SN David A. Land, and one Vietnamese Marine were killed as the mined craft sank almost immediately. During the operation, in which at least 18 Viet Cong were killed, several arms caches were discovered. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and rivervet.com]

Dear FN Jose Campos,
Thank you for your service as a Boilerman - Fireman. Today is the last day of summer, and time has passed since this war. 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.

I apologize for not sending you Jose;s dog tag that I carried with me for 15 years. My wife put it away since I suffered PTSD from my service, and it was a very real reminder of Jose and my own injuries. Jose was my one friend on the boat and he often talked about getting out of the service to return to his wife and daughter in Texas. I hope all is well with you and know you were his first and only dream each day.