THE WALL OF FACES

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. As long as you are remembered you will always be with us…..

Sergeant First Class Crecencio Cardosa, Served with Forward Operational Base 4 (FOB-4), Command and Control North, Military Assistance Command Vietnam- Studies and Observations Group (MACV-SOG), 5th Special Forces Group, United States Army Vietnam.

Dear SFC Crecencio Cardosa,
Thank you for your service as a Special Forces Qualified Infantryman. 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.

The following is an (abbreviated) account of the loss a Vietnamese Air Force CH-34 King Bee with five U.S. Special Forces recon team leaders aboard: “I was assigned the recon team leader (10) of St. Moccasin out of FOB 4, Command and Control North (CCN) Marble Mountain, Da Nang, RVN. On April 10, 1968, one of two CH-34 King Bees from FOB 4 with five Team Leaders [one zeros] (SFC Samuel J. Padgett, CAPT George N. Deverall, SFC Aubrey A. Bryan, SFC Charles F. Wilcox Jr., and SFC Crecencio Cardosa) was coming to the recently reopened French fort at Ngok Tavak, located on the Vietnamese-Laos border and Route 14. These team leaders were to ready sleeping and eating arrangements for their recon teams who would be coming the next day with the Assistant Team Leaders (one-ones). There was going to be a large operation within a few days putting at least four teams on the ground to help search for a NVA Regiment purportedly on the move near Ngok Tavak. On the other King Bee was myself and SGT Charles L. Feller Jr. About one kilometer from the camp we saw the first King Bee crash into the jungle. We had our King Bee, piloted by VNAF CAPT Thinh Q. Dinh, land in a small LZ about 200 meters from the crash site. SGT Feller and I with Pham Tieu (the zero-one of my recon team) disembarked the helicopter and moved toward the smoke from the crash. After moving approximately 100 meters, we found the badly injured pilot and co-pilot who stated they were shot down. They told us that everyone else was dead and there were VC at the crash site. We helped them back to the LZ and they were transported by CAPT Dinh back to FOB 4 for medical treatment. We then returned towards the crash site. As we neared the site, we could hear Vietnamese voices. My zero-one Tieu told me the VC were discussing leaving the crash site for fear of air strikes. After their voices could no longer be heard, we moved to the site and secured it until a larger force could rappel into the crash site. The five bodies were taken back to FOB 4. Two weeks later, one of the administrative NCO’s told SGT Feller that CCN had listed the five one zero’s as Killed, Non-Hostile. I wasn’t there at the time, having volunteered to go to FOB 3 at Khe Sanh, and didn’t learn about their status until three months later. Both Feller and I complained to CCN Headquarters, but we were told that there was no proof that the King Bee had been shot down. We believe that CCN did not like the heavy KIA rate during this time frame and was trying to undercut that count by having the crash listed as Due to Non-Hostile Action. As a result, none of those brave men’s families received the Purple Heart for dying a horrible death in that crash.” (Narrative by SSGT Patrick N. Watkins) [Taken from macvsog.cc]

Dear SFC Crecencio Cardosa, sir

As an American, I would like to thank you for your service and for your sacrifice made on behalf of our wonderful country. The youth of today could gain much by learning of heroes such as yourself, men and women whose courage and heart can never be questioned.

May God allow you to read this, and may He allow me to someday shake your hand when I get to Heaven to personally thank you. May he also allow my father to find you and shake your hand now to say thank you; for America, and for those who love you.

With respect, and the best salute a civilian can muster for you, Sir

Curt Carter