THE WALL OF FACES

We can never truly repay the great debt we owe our fallen heroes. May those who served never be forgotten. Rest in peace CMA3. Shields, I salute your brave soul. My heart goes out to you and your family. Fair seas and calm winds shipmate. Thank you from a Coast Guard vet.

On the remembrance of your 81st birthday, your sacrifice is not forgotten.

"Greater love hath no man, than that man lay down his life for a friend."

Semper Fortis.

On June 9, 1965, a Viet Cong force estimated at 1500-2000 strong attacked the Dong Xoai Special Forces Camp, located approximately 60 miles north of Saigon in Phuoc Long Province, RVN. The camp was occupied by eleven men of a U.S Army Special Forces team, a Vietnamese force of approximately 400 men, and nine U.S. Navy Seabees. The attack occurred shortly before midnight with mortar and 57mm recoilless-rifle fire. Some of the first mortar rounds struck the communications building, medical aid station, and the quarters where the Americans were sleeping, inflicting casualties in the first moments of the attack. Friendly aircraft arrived to drop flares followed by armed helicopters which bombed and strafed the areas north and west of the camp. The Viet Cong pressed the assault, overrunning the west berm of the north area of the camp. The defenders were scattered and suffered many casualties. American and Vietnamese aircraft arrived at daybreak, the defenders directing highly effective air strikes against the attacking enemy. Shortly after noon, rescue helicopters came in through the Viet Cong fire and successfully evacuated thirteen American survivors. The Viet Cong withdrew on the morning of June 11th, and the remaining Americans survivors were lifted out by rescue helicopters. Twenty Americans died in the battle, including three Special Forces soldiers: SSG Donald C. Dedmon, SGT Charles O. Jenkins Jr., and SFC Bobby Russell; and two Seabees: SWF2 William C. Hoover and CMA3 Marvin G. Shields. Of the surviving 15 Americans, 14 were wounded. Additionally, about 43 CIDG Montagnards and South Vietnamese troops were killed. Outside of the camp, American deaths included eight helicopter crewmen, four from the 118th Aviation Company: pilot CPT Walter L. Hall, co-pilot Donald R. Saegaert, crew chief SSG Joseph J. Compa Jr., and gunner SGT Craig L. Hagen; and four from the 82nd Aviation Battalion: pilot CWO Raymond C. Galbraith, co-pilot WO Zoltan A. Kovacs, crew chief William R. Batchelder, and gunner PFC Walter R. Gray. Five U.S. Army advisers were also killed: SP4 Ronald E. Blake, SSG Robert L. Curlee Jr., LTC Bruce G. Johnson, CPT Edward E. Krukowski, and SFC Fred M. Owens, three from helicopter crashes and two killed while attached to South Vietnamese units. More than 400 South Vietnamese soldiers died in fights in the outskirts of the camp. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org, historynet.com, and the publication The Military Engineer (November-December 1965 issue)]

spent 68-69 in nam . fought for you and our country.

You were one of the brave that answered the call. You honored us by your service and sacrifice. We now honor you each time we stand and sing the words “THE LAND OF THE FREE AND THE HOME OF THE BRAVE”. Rest in Peace and Honor Marvin.