THE WALL OF FACES

This is Rick Herbert. You took my place in E Co. 5/46 in Vietnam. We overlapped for a time, enough to get to know what a great guy you were. I left in November, 1968. After I came home to Michigan I was going to college and during a spring break I traveled to Nashville on my way to New Orleans. I stopped at the address you had given me at 202 25th St. N. Nashville, TN trying to find you only to be met at the door with your wife holding a child. She told me you had not made it home. I was devastated and could tell she did not want to talk. I left and have visited your name at the wall every five years when I travel there. You were an American Hero.

WE ALL SPEAK OF YOU OFTEN , AND REMEMBER THOSE FUN TIMES AT OLD ANTIOCH HIGH SCHOOL! THE MILE RELAY TEAM SALUTES YOU BROTHER!

LZ Gator was a forward firebase south of Chu Lai on Highway One in Quang Ngai Province, RVN. LZ Gator was home to 700 or 800 American soldiers, mostly grunts, including the Fifth Battalion of the 46th Infantry, 198th Infantry Brigade. There was a tar helipad, a mess hall, a medical station, mortar and artillery emplacements, two volleyball courts, numerous barracks and offices and supply depots and machine shops and entertainment clubs. By day, the soldiers would fill sandbags or pull bunker guard duty. At night, the different units took turns providing perimeter security. After midnight on May 12, 1969, LZ Gator received between 75-100 rounds of enemy 82mm mortar mixed with RPG rocket fire followed by an attack by an unknown size sapper force. The enemy was able to penetrate the perimeter under the cover of the mortar fire. Once inside the base, they found and targeted the sleeping quarters of the base's commanding officer, which they blew up with a satchel charge. The officer, LTC Alfred Barnes, and two guards, SP4 Richard M. Amick and SP4 Charles E. Wilson Jr., were killed in the blast. Two other soldiers on the bunker line, SP4 Thomas W. Cummins and CPL Richard D. Shannon Jr., were also killed in the assault. Contact was broken at 4:35 AM. Total U.S. losses were five killed and nine wounded. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org, nytimes.com, and information provided by Gilbert Smith at honorstates.org]

Specialist Four Richard Michael Amick, Served with the Headquarters and Headquarter Company, 5th Battalion, 46th Infantry Regiment, 198th Infantry Brigade, Americal Division.

If anyone knew my uncle Michael Amick in Vietnam, please email me