Daily Wall: April 21

There are over 58,000 people who's names are currently listed on the Vietnam Memorial Wall.

I am listing them all, day by day(by date of loss), until I have gone through each and every one of them.

I am not cut/pasting these names, I feel a responsibility to type each of them individually. If you see any mistakes or omissions, please let me know so I can promptly correct them.

I encourage you to read them aloud, or at least read them all, each day.

We will never forget.

James Albert Spencer Jr (Gaffney, SC)

____

Raymond A Adam  1964

Boyed T Adams  1969

Billy W Addis  1970

Arnold Aguilar  1968

Jonathon W Allman  1969

Michael B Alvarez  1968

Buel E Andersen  1969

Julian R Anderson  1969

Billy C Armstrong  1968

Thomas A Arrendondo  1967

Eddie P Austin  1967

Ellis E Austin  1966

James H Autrey  1969

David L Banks  1969

Irving D Barrows  1968

Joseph F Basco Jr  1967

Carl T Bauer  1970

Paul T Bazar  1969

Billie L Beard  1962

Vincent J Benegas  1967

Ronald M Boley  1967

Byron D Bonds  1967

Jeffery D Bouton  1967

McDonald E Boyce  1968

Dennis M Boyer  1970

Rodney A Breedlove  1967

Willie G Bridges  1968

Ralph N Bright  1970

Donald G Brown  1967

Marc A Brown  1967

Ivan J Broyles  1966

Benjamin Bunn Jr  1967

Ralph Burkhalter Jr  1969

Robert A Burns  1970

Alfred B Cafrelli  1968

James E Carey  1967

Kevin R Cassell  1968

Gary A Chabert  1968

Thomas A Chialastri  1969

Gerald Cohen  1968

John L Coleman  1968

Peter E Conlin  1968

Scott R Coplin  1970

Ronald R Cormier  1967

Jerry M Corp  1970

Gene T Covey  1968

James E Creamer Jr  1968

John L Czechowski Jr  1968

Albert Davis  1968

Don E Davis  1968

John L Davis  1967

Ronald P Dean  1968

Gregorio M Deocampo  1967

Royce E Eddleman  1968

Edward T Egan Jr  1967

William R Emmans  1970

Sammy G Evans  1967

Neil H Exum  1968

Mark Farren  1970

Santana S Fernandez Jr  1969

Joseph Ficara  1969

Robert D Fulrkesin  1968

Rudolph S Galiana  1967

Jimmy M Gardenhire  1969

Thomas W Guadet  1969

Robert K Gillies  1969

Louis L Goers  1967

Domingo R Gonzales  1968

Jack D Goode  1968

Edward D Gould  1967

Larry W Greer  1967

Ronald D Griffin  1968

Gary D Grimes  1967

Charles R Gurtler  1966

Sayward N Hall Jr  1965

Roger D Hamilton  1967

Lane K Hargrove  1968

Eugene Harris  1968

Gary R Hartman  1967

Paul A Hasenbeck  1967

Michael W Heuer  1966

Hiawatha Hicks  1968

Thomas M Holcombe  1968

Thomas J Holtzclaw III  1967

Dwane G Howard  1969

Samuel R Hughes  1968

William D Hunt  1967

Maxie Jackson Jr  1969

Larry C Jamerson  1968

Kenneth C Jenkins  1969

Danny W Johnson  1970

Frankie B Johnson Jr  1968

Robert L Johnson Jr  1968

Curran M Jones  1969

Francis X Kane  1968

Ronald C Kearsley  1968

Jack E Keller  1966

Richard L King  1967

Richard C Klinkenberg  1968

Glenn D Knepp Jr  1967

Francis S Kovacs  1969

Lanny R Krage  1967

Gerald M Krystoszek  1967

Charles R LaBounty  1971

Robert C Link  1968

Lyle E Mackedanz  1968

Ralph M Mahoney  1968

Stefan Malkut  1969

Thomas A Mangino  1967

Anthony W Manstis  1970

Jose A Merrero-Rios  1968

Gary W Martini  1967

William A McCall Jr  1969

Charles J Meerholz Jr  1968

Val G Meyer  1970

Charles Miller  1966

Fredrick W Miller  1966

Herbert Miller  1971

Jerry Morgan Jr  1969

Cecil J Moser  1968

Charles Mrdjenovich  1968

Jimmy M Mullins  1967

Ronald K Neal  1967

William M Neeley  1968

Bernard J Newhouse  1968

Rande L Nichols  1970

Daniel R Nidds  1967

Charles B Norris  1966

Maurice J O'Callaghan  1967

Ralph R Ochoa  1969

Eric G Ohm  1970

Bernard G Oliver Jr  1969

Robert L Ollom  1968

Floyd W Olsen  1968

James J Owens  1967

William M Parker  1975

Bruce C Parmelee  1967

John P Paropacic  1967

Eugene A Pastrovich  1967

Dennis W Pawlowicz  1967

Larry C Pettaway  1967

Christopher Podmaniczky  1967

Steve Porovich  1972

George E Powell  1970

Charles W Reberg  1968

William F Richardson  1970

Bernard F Ritchie  1969

Robert T Rohweller  1969

James W Rudd  1968

Richard J Rudd Jr  1968

Charles G Rush Jr  1969

Uvaldo Sanchez  1967

Stanton G Sargent  1971

Daniel L Sauve  1966

Ralph E Scheib  1967

Gary A Schoborg  1970

William H Scholes  1966

Gary A Scovill  1967

Tommy Q Segars Jr  1969

Ivan J Shackelford Jr  1967

Kenneth W Shamblin  1971

James H Shelton  1967

Richard N Simonsen  1969

Edward R Sitz  1973

Charles M Smith  1967

General D Smith  1971

James A Spencer Jr  1969

John G Spindler  1968

James P Spruill  1964

Alfred Stark  1969

Robert J Stavinoha  1968

Gerald W Stephens  1969

Tamadge C Stevens Jr  1967

Ronald B Stillions  1970

Gridley B Strong  1968

William A Thomas Jr  1972

Edward J Tice III  1967

Henry C Tisdale  1966

Michael G Turner  1968

David S Urias  1968

Ronald F van Avery  1968

Timothy R van Tongeren  1969

Kerry L Vance  1970

John M Vaughn  1968

Felix Vazquez Jr  1968

George F Volk  1967

John W Wall  1967

Earl S Wemple  1969

Frederick T West  1967

Eugene L Wheeler  1970

Frederick R Willard Jr  1967

Claude A Williams  1971

Timothy R Williams  1968

Charles J Wilson  1969

David M Winters  1967

Bruce L Wold  1970

William E Wood Jr  1971

Thomas J Worley Jr  1968

Douglas F Wortman  1970

Joseph D Wylie III  1967

Herman D Young  1970

Louis A Yugel  1971

David P Zimmerman  1968

#MondayMachines - Bell UH-1 Iroquois

You don't have to look too far when viewing photos or video of combat operations in Vietnam to see a Huey. They, as much as any other piece of equipment(possibly excluding individual weapons), defined the war in Vietnam. The Huey was used extensively, for a number of different mission types, including, general support, air assault, cargo transport, aeromedical evacuation(medevac), search and rescue, electronic warfare, and ground attack. It became an absolutely vital piece of equipment to those serving in the war, both on the ground, in the air and command structures.

I can think, off of the top of my head, at least two Medal of Honor actions that directly involved the Huey. Those of Bruce Crandall at LZ-Xray during the Ia Drang battle and of Rodney Yano of the 11th Armored Cavalary Regiment, Blackhorse Regiment, where he died but saved the lives of all but one on board the Huey he was on when a WP grenade exploded and started cooking off all the ammo on board. I'm sure there are other instances of this as well.

The Bell HU-1A, later re-designated the UH-1A, was first put into service by the Army's 101st Airborne Division at Ft. Campbell, the 82nd Airborne and the 57 Medical Detachment. The 57th's Hueys first arrived in Vietnam in March of 1962. They weren't retired from the Army's active service until 2005, 42 years later. Not a bad run for this storied machine. They have been used by other branches and many other countries in various roles through the years as well. There were over 40 variants produced and several over-all upgrades as well.

Just in Vietnam, over 7,000 were ushered into service. Of those, over 3,300 were destroyed. Almost 1,200 Huey pilots were killed along with over 1,100 crew. The lives saved by these men and machines is innumerable. For the most part, if you were injured, the sight of the "Dust Off" was very re-assuring and likely meant survival from your wounds.

For those that piloted the Huey. Your service is probably most revered by those on the ground waiting to hear those rotors coming. The pilots and crew were looked upon with a tremendous amount of respect and admiration. You were heroes to a lot of people. We can;t thank you enough.

To those who perished. We look at you the same way, only with great sadness because of the loss. Many great men were taken from us while flying in the Huey. Your memory lives on. We honor you and you hold a special place in the hearts of many.

The UH-1's importance, especially during Vietnam cannot be overstated. This chopper was the standard bearer for many years and everything that has come after it has drawn on it's design and influence in some way.

30 Years Ago 3/502nd

The members of 3d Bn, 502nd Infantry, 101st Airborne, along with 11 other Forces Command personnel and one member of the CID, had been were coming home to Ft. Campbell from a 6 month deployment on a peacekeeping mission in the Middle East. They had flown from Cairo to Cologne, then from there to Gander, Newfoundland. They had just taken off on the last leg of the journey to be home for Christmas. They would never make it. The chartered DC-8 crashed. All 248 service members and 8 flight crew perished in the crash.

All of those on board this flight had families and friends who's lives were forever changed in an instant. This tragedy touched all of them in ways we will never fully understand. Those who served with them in the 101st were also deeply affected by the loss. It has been 29 years since this accident. Time has passed, but the pain of loss never goes away. The memories remain, the love that was shared, still exists in the hearts of those who remain.

President Reagan spoke at the memorial service and shared these poignant words, "Love is never wasted, love is never lost, love lives on and sees us through sorrow".

The names of those we lost that day can be found here: Gander Disaster

Colonel Edward Barry Vogel

Edward Barry Vogel was born November 13, 1929 at Interlaken, New Jersey. At the time of his death, this day, November 27, 1968, he had risen through the Army to the rank of Colonel after serving for 18 years, and was married with six children.

According to one who served under Col Vogel, he was very respected by those who served under him. He also respected, not only his men, but also valued their input in matters most in his position would have either trusted their own judgement or sought input from those who, like him, held higher rank. This was referred to as the "ground truth".

He was said to rarely speak, outside of necessity, to those higher than First Lieutenant for more than a few seconds. Prior to operations, he would seek out the men in the trenches to find out what they needed or what they thought of impending actions. This gave him a real sense of what was going on in real time, not dependent upon sometimes weeks old intelligence reports. It is not that he would ignore such reports or the input of other officers, but unlike many, he did not discount what he heard from them men in and closest to the actual fighting.

As he sought out the experiences from those in the heat of battle, he would place himself right in the middle of things. It was during one such event that he lost his life along with four others on board a HU-1C Iroquois, a "huey". The others were from Headquarters and Headquarters Battery (HHB), 4th Battalion, 77th Aerial Rocket Artillery Unit, 101st Airborne Division. They were on an ARA(Airial Rocket Artillery) mission near Fire Base Tomahawk in the Thua Thien Province, home of Hue, made infamous during the Tet offensive of 1968. Operating in a very hostile area, the chopper came under very heavy small arms fire, likely killing or mortally wounding all on board before the chopper crashed. Vogel had been visiting the unit and decided to tag along to get the perspective of the huey guys.

A Lt Col at the time, already approved for promotion, he achieved the rank of Colonel posthumously.
Comments from at no less than five who served under him all paint the same picture of this man who placed the ultimate trust in his men and respected them with the very fiber of his being. He was loved, trusted, respected, and deserved every ounce of honor bestowed upon him. He was not only a great leader, he saw himself and others shared the view, that he was every bit as much of an integral part of a greater unit than he was an individual who could affect change on his own. 

All these years later, those he served with leave comments on the many places they gather to remember one another. He is dearly missed by his men. I can only imagine that his family misses him and has felt a great loss for all of these years. 

You will surely not be forgotten Colonel Vogel. Your spirit lives on in the men and the units.

Sadly, that day we also lost four other men aboard that huey. Colonel Vogel would certainly not be pleased if I had left any of them out. The crew members included aircraft commander WO1 John W. Brinkmeyer, pilot LTC Roger J. Bartholomew, gunner SP4 Ernest L. Barber, and crew chief SP5 Loren D. Martinsen. 

 COL Vogel

Carlos James Lozada- Medal of Honor

Carlos Lozada was born September 6, 1946 in Caguas, Puerto Rico. His family moved to New York in the early 1950's and Carlos' life started moving pretty quickly. After he finished high school, he married and was soon drafted into the US Army. His plans were to use his G.I benefits to attend college.

Carlos was sent to Vietnam and assigned to the 503rd Infantry, 173rd Airborne Brigade. Five months later, the 503rd found itself immersed in the Battle of Dak To. Part of a relief force from the heavy fighting in the days before, Carlos was manning an outpost guarding the position. He saw a company of NVA approaching the position and alerted his squad and then opened fire with his M-60. He killed at least 20 and disrupted the attack long enough for his company, which was becoming rapidly surrounded and in very real danger of being cut off, to commence a withdrawing. His comrades urged him to join them in the much needed retreat. Carlos urged them on realizing that if his machine gun fire ceased, the potential for being overrun was ever increased. He stood his ground and continued firing. He did this until he was mortally wounded.

His actions were a major factor in his entire company position being able to avoid becomeing surrounded and cut off, alone, surrounded by the enemy. For his actions on this day, 48 years ago, he was awarded the Medal of Honor.

Carlos Lozada was loved. That is apparent by reading the many remembrances posted to him on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund Wall of Faces. We'd like to thank and honor PFC Lozada for his service and for his dedication to the men he was serving with. He is certainly an example for many to live by and his memory lives on with many of those.

His Medal of Honor citation reads:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Pfc. Lozada, U.S. Army, distinguished himself at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty in the battle of Dak To. While serving as a machine gunner with 1st platoon, Company A, Pfc. Lozada was part of a 4-man early warning outpost, located 35 meters from his company's lines. At 1400 hours a North Vietnamese Army company rapidly approached the outpost along a well-defined trail. Pfc. Lozada alerted his comrades and commenced firing at the enemy who were within 10 meters of the outpost. His heavy and accurate machinegun fire killed at least 20 North Vietnamese soldiers and completely disrupted their initial attack. Pfc. Lozada remained in an exposed position and continued to pour deadly fire upon the enemy despite the urgent pleas of his comrades to withdraw. The enemy continued their assault, attempting to envelop the outpost. At the same time enemy forces launched a heavy attack on the forward west flank of Company A with the intent to cut them off from their battalion. Company A was given the order to withdraw. Pfc. Lozada apparently realized that if he abandoned his position there would be nothing to hold back the surging North Vietnamese soldiers and that the entire company withdrawal would be jeopardized. He called for his comrades to move back and that he would stay and provide cover for them. He made this decision realizing that the enemy was converging on 3 sides of his position and only meters away, and a delay in withdrawal meant almost certain death. Pfc. Lozada continued to deliver a heavy, accurate volume of suppressive fire against the enemy until he was mortally wounded and had to be carried during the withdrawal. His heroic deed served as an example and an inspiration to his comrades throughout the ensuing 4-day battle. Pfc. Lozada's actions are in the highest traditions of the U.S. Army and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.  

Major Charles Joseph Watters- Medal of Honor

Charles Watters was born January 17, 1927 in Jersey City, New Jersey. He graduated from Seton Hall University and became an ordained Catholic priest. He served in several parishes around New Jersey until he joined the New Jersey Air National Guard in 1962 as a chaplain.. He was also an accomplished private pilot. In 1964, he entered active duty as a chaplain with the U.S Army, serving in the 173rd Support Battalion attached to the 173rd Airborne.

By June, 1966, he had become a Major and started his first year-long tour of Vietnam. He always wanted to be at the front, with the men who were fighting. That is where he believed his place to serve was. If a unit was rotated to the rear or out of combat, he would find another unit that was moving to the front and join them. During this tour, he earned an Air Medal and a Bronze Star w/V. He took part, and indeed joined the men and jumped as part of Operation Junction City, which turned out to be the only combat jump during the war. Those he served with loved him for that. They knew he was willing to do whatever it took and even risk his life with them.

When that tour ended, he extended for another six months. It was during this tour that the Battle of Dak To, a series of battles that took place from November 3 to November 27, 1967. This major set of battles caused over 1800 U.S. casualties, including 361 KIA and 15 MIA. It also included one of the worst friendly fire incidents of the war. That incident claimed 42 lives, including Major Watters.

A very underestimated NVA force was holding hill 875 on the morning of November 19. That force turned out to be 2000 strong. The 2/503 of the 173rd sent 3 companies to take the hill. Those three companies were represented by 330 men. When hell broke loose, Major Watters continuously rushed outside the perimeter rescuing injured men, helping medics, delivering food and water, giving comfort and reading last rites to many men. All of this during intense fire from the enemy and against the wishes of those fighting around him.

Near dark, as they were close to being overrun, close airstrikes and artillery were called in. During one of these airstrikes, two 500 pound bombs were dropped toward the perimeter, one of them hit the top of a tree near the center of the 173rd's position. This position contained the command group, the injured and the medics. Shrapnel killed 42 men in the immediate area, including Watters, who was there giving aid.

For his actions that day, Major Charles Watters was given the Medal of Honor. His citation reads:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Chaplain Watters distinguished himself during an assault in the vicinity of Dak To. Chaplain Watters was moving with one of the companies when it engaged a heavily armed enemy battalion. As the battle raged and the casualties mounted, Chaplain Watters, with complete disregard for his safety, rushed forward to the line of contact. Unarmed and completely exposed, he moved among, as well as in front of the advancing troops, giving aid to the wounded, assisting in their evacuation, giving words of encouragement, and administering the last rites to the dying. When a wounded paratrooper was standing in shock in front of the assaulting forces, Chaplain Watters ran forward, picked the man up on his shoulders and carried him to safety. As the troopers battled to the first enemy entrenchment, Chaplain Watters ran through the intense enemy fire to the front of the entrenchment to aid a fallen comrade. A short time later, the paratroopers pulled back in preparation for a second assault. Chaplain Watters exposed himself to both friendly and enemy fire between the two forces in order to recover two wounded soldiers. Later, when the battalion was forced to pull back into a perimeter, Chaplain Watters noticed that several wounded soldiers were lying outside the newly formed perimeter. Without hesitation and ignoring attempts to restrain him, Chaplain Watters left the perimeter three times in the face of small arms, automatic weapons, and mortar fire to carry and to assist the injured troopers to safety. Satisfied that all of the wounded were inside the perimeter, he began aiding the medics ... applying field bandages to open wounds, obtaining and serving food and water, giving spiritual and mental strength and comfort. During his ministering, he moved out to the perimeter from position to position redistributing food and water, and tending to the needs of his men. Chaplain Watters was giving aid to the wounded when he himself was mortally wounded. Chaplain Watters' unyielding perseverance and selfless devotion to his comrades was in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Army. 

To say that Watters was a man who cared for those around him is an incredible understatement. The men who served with him loved him and respected him deeply. Not only because he would jump out of a plane with them or run into battle with them, or repeatedly risk his life to save theirs, but also because they knew that he loved and respected them deeply. He lived his life in such a way as to show everyone he knew, that love came first. He loved them. He did all he could do for them, which was well beyond what anyone would ask of someone. He did it without being asked. He just, did it!

Let us never forget this man or those he served and died with. They lived and died so that others may live and die in a world, hopefully, more peaceful than what they died in.