THE WALL OF FACES

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. As long as you are remembered you will always be with us...

You will forever remain in our hearts and prayers

May those who served never be forgotten. Rest in peace PFC. Colon, I salute your brave soul. My heart goes out to you and your family. Semper Fidelis!

Thank you for your service and your sacrifice. Thank you for stepping up and answering your country's call. Rest easy knowing you will never be forgotten.

On February 20, 1968, a patrol from G Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, was moving along the bank of the Thu Bon River, two miles northeast of Liberty Bridge in Quang Nam Province, RVN, when they spotted seven enemy soldiers with weapons. Six of the enemy were swimming in the river and the seventh was on the bank. The Marines fired on the enemy soldiers who then fled into a tree line and disappeared, leaving behind a rifle on the river bank. Artillery was called on the enemy’s position which landed on target. Two of the Marines from the patrol attempted to retrieve the left-behind rifle by crossing the river utilizing logs to traverse the waters. The two men became separated, and one of them, 1LT Richard J. Kelley, went under and disappeared. The other Marine made it to the other side, grabbed the enemy rifle, and safely returned. A reaction force of two squads with a boat was dispatched to the scene to help locate the missing officer. During the search, the boat with eight Marines aboard came under enemy small arms fire from the southern bank, with the Marines returning fire. Two members of the search party were killed, and four others wounded. The boat and its engine were damaged in the attack; however, they were able to successfully beach the craft on the north side of the river. Other G Company, 2/7 Marines arrived at the engagement and poured fire on the enemy’s position. The two lost Marines from the search party were 1LT Dennis D. King and PFC Alberto Colon. There was no evidence of enemy casualties. 1LT Kelley, the Marine who went missing in the river, was located the following day and recovered by a reaction force from Company H, 2/7 Marines. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and Command Chronology, 7th Marines, February 1968]