THE WALL OF FACES

Operation Garfield (February 25 – March 24, 1966) was a 3rd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division operation in Darlac Province, RVN. The brigade was searching for North Vietnamese Army (NVA) forces north and west of the province capital, Ban Me Thuot. On March 14th, the 1st of the 35th Infantry Regiment settled into a landing zone approximately thirteen kilometers (7.8 miles) northwest of Ban Brieng. During the night, an enemy force fired forty to fifty mortar rounds at the perimeter, all the rounds falling short. The following morning, Company A searched in the direction from which the barrage had come. The troopers found a number of unfired rounds, a booklet with firing tables, and a history of the enemy unit's operations over the previous year. They spent the next three hours moving northwest along the stream. Around noon, the platoon leader decided to return to base, but shortly afterward his point man discovered a wire and started to follow it to its source. When he did, NVA troops who had been watching all along brought the platoon under fire. Although outnumbered, the Americans held their own against possibly two reinforced companies. Within fifteen minutes, a forward air controller brought in the first of what would become sixteen tactical air sorties over the afternoon. At 1:15 PM, the commander of Company A air assaulted in with another platoon. The enemy attacked and inflicted casualties on the arriving troops. In the end, the North Vietnamese got the worst of it, as shells from the nearby 2nd Battalion, 9th Artillery, rained down upon them. A half hour, a third platoon landed. The company then counterattacked, overrunning and pursuing the NVA as they fled. Meanwhile, artillery and close-air support pounded likely avenues of escape. The Americans conducted a three-hour search, which resulted in 21 NVA killed. The Americans suffered 11 killed and 27 wounded. The lost personnel included (A-1/35) PFC Steadmon Adams Jr., PFC Gary E. Bartz, SP4 Thomas J. Chandler Jr., PFC Richard Coleman (died of wounds 03/29/1966), SSG William R. Holbrook, SP4 Raymond Hood, SP4 Ignacio Huicochea-Reyna, SP4 Dorsey L. Tatum, PFC Pedro Vazquez-Gonzalez, and SSG Robert C. Williams; and (HHC/1-35) medic PFC Carmelo Sanchez-Berrios. Enemy casualties came to 36 known killed and possibly another 100 killed. The Americans captured twelve rifles and an American M79 grenade launcher. [“Combat Operations: Stemming the Tide, May 1965 to October 1966” by John M. Carland]

Thinking of you today on Memorial Day. You made the ultimate sacrifice for your country. I am a retired US Army Combat Wounded Vet and salute you for your your service. In this photo I am looking at your name on the wall with tears in my eyes.

Specialist Four Thomas Jefferson Chandler Jr., Served with Company A, 1st Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, United States Army Vietnam.

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. The remembrance from Scott is touching. As long as you are remembered you will always be with us…..

TJ it is so hard to believe that you have been gone for 53 years. I miss you like it was just yesterday. You were always like a big brother to me. The day we learned that you had been killed was the worst day of my life up to that point. I cried for 2 days solid.

Rest in peace dear TJ, I hope I will one day see you again. Maybe we can play catch again!