THE WALL OF FACES

Dear Captain Cody,

I lived across the street from you when I was just a toddler. I remember my mother telling me never to ask any of the children in my neighborhood about their fathers as so many were in Vietnam. You were always an inspiration to me and part of the reason that I joined the military at a young age and served for 32 years. Your heroism still inspires me everyday. Even though you never knew me or just smiled at me while I played in my front yard, I thank you for having such a profound and positive effect on my life.

With deepest respect and admiration,

Robert Metnick, LTC, USA, (Ret)

Thank you so much for your service. I am doing a research project on you, and I hope I do you justice.

Dear Captain Howard Cody,
Thank you for your service as a Pilot. You were born on my Mom's birthday. Say hi to her, her name is Rose. You are still MIA. PLEASE COME HOME.
December is here, along with all the preparations. It is almost Christmas. 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.

Thank you everyone for your personal acknowledgements of my fathers sacrifice. He was a man's man in every way. It was the day after the Kennedy assassination and I'm quite certain his fangs were out and he wanted to right some wrongs. He went down swinging and tried to make a difference. I grew up without him and just thinking about him now is still heartbreaking. I am honored to be your son sir.

On November 24, 1963, pilot CAPT Howard R. Cody, navigator 1LT Atis K. Lielmanis, and a Vietnamese crewman were flying a B-26 Invader fighter bomber from the 1st Air Commando Squadron in support of ground operations against the Communist Viet Cong near Ca Mau about 160 miles southwest of Saigon. Their aircraft encountered ground fire from hidden and entrenched machine guns. Flying at low level to permit visual reconnaissance of the area, they located the gun positions and launched their attack. Despite being hit by ground fire the crew continued to press the attack, forcing the VC to reveal their gun positions to other Air Force aircraft in the target area. On their last firing pass over the target area, their A-26 was again severely damaged by gun fire causing it to go out of control and crash. Navigator 1LT Lielmanis and the Vietnamese crewmen were able to bail out of the crippled plane but their chutes failed to deploy and both were killed. CAPT Cody went in with the aircraft and was also killed. His remains were not recovered. The enemy guns were destroyed as a result of their actions. CAPT Cody was posthumously awarded the Air Force Cross and General Curtis Lemay presented it to his son, Randy, in Washington, DC. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org]