THE WALL OF FACES

COLONEL


EDWARD JOSEPH CAVANAUGH



WAS A DISTINGUISHED GRADUATE OF THE

UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY

AT WEST POINT, NEW YORK

IN THE CLASS OF 1946


who served as an


MACV ADVISOR



DURING HIS DISTINGUISHED MILITARY CAREER

HE WAS AWARDED THE FOLLOWING DECORATIONS -


SILVER STAR with oak leaf cluster

LEGION OF MERIT with two oak leaf clusters

BRONZE STAR MEDAL with ' V ' for VALOR DEVICE

BRONZE STAR MEDAL with oak leaf cluster

MERITORIOUS SERVICE MEDAL

AIR MEDAL

ARMY COMMENDATION MEDAL

and

PURPLE HEART


In addition he was entitled to wear the


COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE

and

ARMY SENIOR PARACHUTE WINGS

above his military ribbons



Today he rests in honored glory in the


WEST POINT CEMETERY





~~~ DUTY - HONOR - COUNTRY ~~~





~~~ THE LONG GRAY LINE ~~~





YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN

NOR SHALL YOU EVER BE





( 19 January 1999 )

If I should die, and leave you here awhile, be not like others, sore undone, who keep long vigils by the silent dust, and weep...for MY sake, turn again to life, and smile...Nerving thy heart and trembling hand to do something to comfort other hearts than thine...Complete these dear, unfinished tasks of mine...and I, perchance, may therein comfort you!

The Corps! Bareheaded, salute it! With eyes up, thanking our God, that we of the Corps are treading, where they of the Corpshave trod! They are here, in ghostly assemblage! The MEN of the Corps long dead! And our hearts are standing ATTENTION! While we wait for their passing tread! We sons of today, we salute you! You sons of an earlier day! We follow, close order, behind you! Where you had pointed the way! The Long Gray Line of us stretches, through the years of a century told! And the last man feels to his marrow, the grip of your far-off hold! GRIP HANDS with us, now though we see not! Grip hands with us, strenghthen our hearts! As the Long Line stiffens and straightens, with the thrill that your presence imparts! Grip hands, though it be from the shadows! While we swear, as you did of yore! Or living, or dying to honor...THE CORPS!!! AND THE CORPS!!! AND THE CORPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We salute Colonel Cavanaugh, whose devotion to DUTY...whose devotion to HONOR...and ABOVE ALL!!!...whose devotion to GOD and our COUNTRY!!!!!!...the land that he loved...the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave...will never...I say again, will NEVER be exrtinguished from our minds!!!...and our hearts!!