It is my sincere hope that in the coming year (2013) El Santo Nino allows me one more trip to "The Wall", to visit some friends from Northern New Mexico.
A little history most people do not know about "The Wall". There are 58,267 names currently on the wall. The first known casualty was Richard B.Fitzgibbon,
of North Weymouth, Mass. killed on June 8, 1956. His name is listed on the wall with that of his son, Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Richard B, Fitzgibbon III, killed
on Sept. 7, 1965. There are three sets of fathers and sons on the wall. 39,996 were just 22 or younger, 8,283 were 19 yrs. old, the largest age group, 33,103
were 18 years old, 12 soldiers were 17 yrs. old, 5 soldiers were 16 yrs. old. One soldier, PFC Dan Bullock was 15 years old. 997 soldiers were killed on their
first day in Vietnam. 1,448 soldiers were killed on their last day in Vietnam. 31 sets of brothers are on the wall. 54 attended Thomas Edison High School in
Philadelphia. 8 Women are on the wall. 244 soldiers were awarded the Medal Of Honor during the Vietnam war; 153 0f them are on the wall.
The Marines Of Morenci, Arizona (pop. 5,058) enjoyed roaring beer busts. In quieter moments, they rode horses along the Coronado Trail, stalked deer in
the Apache National Forest. In the patriotic camaraderie typical of the mining families, the nine graduates of Morenci High enlisted as a group in the Marine
Corps. Their service began on Independence Day, 1966. ONLY 3 RETURNED HOME. The Buddies Of Midvale; - LeRoy Tafoya, Jimmy Martinez, Tom
Gonzales were all boyhood friends and lived three consecutive streets in Midvale, Utah; on fifth, sixth and seventh avenues, and they all went to Vietnam.
In a span of 16 dark days in late 1967, all three would be killed. LeRoy was killed on Wed; Nov. 22, the fourth anniversary of J.F.K.s assassination. Jimmy
died less than 24 hours later on Thanksgiving Day. Tom was shot dead assaulting the enemy on Dec. 7, Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. The most
casualty deaths for a single day was Jan. 31, 1968 with 245 deaths. Most in one Month was May 1968, with 2,415 deaths.
We must always remember, They were and are our friends, fathers, husbands, wives, sons and daughters. There are NO noble wars, just noble warriors.
