THE WALL OF FACES

Dear Sp4 Randy Caylor,
Thank you for your service as an Infantryman. Your 66th birthday just passed. Happy Birthday. It is so 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 strength, courage and faithfulness. Rest in peace with the angels.

SP4 Randy L. Caylor, SP4 Richard J. Duplessis, and CPL Robert A. Piper were infantrymen serving with D Company, 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry, 196th Infantry Brigade, Americal Division. On July 31, 1971, they were on a company-sized combat operation on the east slope of Hill 953 in Quang Nam Province, RVN, an area previously occupied the year before by U.S. Marines. D Company was dropped off at landing zone half way up the hill, requiring several transport ships to deliver the entire company. Once on the ground, some of the troop noticed a U.S. Army OV-10 Bronco observation plane fly overhead, turn around, and come back. It then started dropping white smoke grenades on a nearby area. They were unsure what crew of the Bronco was trying to tell them since there was no radio contact. Suddenly, someone shouted there was movement up ahead. Several GI’s moved forward. They had just broken a fundamental rule that they teach in AIT (advanced infantry training): never chase your enemy. NVA 82mm mortars began to rain down on D Company’s position. That pinned them down so the enemy could advance. Next was gunfire, grenades, and the RPG’s (rocket-propelled grenades). Within15 minutes of landing, several men were killed, including Caylor (who was hit by mortar fire), Duplessis, and Piper. American air assets began dropping napalm and 500-pound bombs, and eventually D Company took Hill 953. A later intelligence report said they had run into a large unit of hard core NVA, dug in and ready to fight. Two days after taking the hill, it was abandoned by U.S. forces. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and information provided by Lee Jackson (January 2017)]

Thank you Spec 4 Caylor for your leadership and exemplary courage under fire.

I was with RC and Dupe and Piper the day they died. Remember Caylor like it was yesterdsy.

After all these years I still think of you. Till we meet again.