I request a Rose be placed alongside the names
of the seven U.S. Coast Guard who are on the Wall, and a poem posted
in their honor. While I know some don't view the Coast Guard as a
military service, we are and have served as honorably as any member
of the Big Four. In Vietnam, we served as ammo loading supervisors,
loran station techs and watchstanders, established aids to navagiation
in the bays and rivers, flew combat SAR missions, and served on ofshore
patrol boats and oceangoing cutters in Operation Markettime (CTF115,
which provided naval gunfire support to friendly forces when in range.
Unsung, unknown, but nevertheless there and on The Wall.
The seven names are:
LTJG
(O2) David Charles Brostrom, (Patrol Boat
Commanding Officer) killed in a Friendly Fire incident when his
Coast Guard Cutter was straffed by US Air Force aircraft on 11 August,
1966. Panel 09E Line 126.
EN2 (E5) Jerry Phillips,
(Patrol Boat Crewman) killed in Friendly Fire incident alongside
LTJG Brostrom, when his Coast Guard Cutter was straffed by US Air Force
aircraft, 11 August, 1966. Panel 09E Line 128.
LT (O3) Jack Columbus Rittichier,
* (CG Exchange pilot with 37th ARRS Đà Nẵng) killed when aircraft
hit by A/A, crashed and burned 9 June, 1968. Body not recovered.
Panel 58W Line 014.
FN (E3) Heriberto Sedgovia Hernandez,
(Patrol Boat Crewman) killed when his cutter's small boat was attacked
in a canal, on 5 December, 1968. Panel 37W Line 046.
ENC (E7) Morris Sampson Beeson,
(Patrol Boat Engineering Officer) Assasinated on 22 March, 1969.
Panel 28W Line 008.
LTJG (O2) Michael Ward Kirkpatrick,
(Patrol Boat Commanding Officer) died of wound received when 81mm mortar/50cal
main weapon exploded due to loading accident on 8 August 1969.
Panel 20W Line 119.
EN1 (E6) Michael Harris Painter,
(Patrol Boat Crewman) died of wounds received alongside LTJG Kirkpatrick,
on 8 August, 1969. Panel 20W Line 115.
They were there, as were a great many
other Coasties. You may not have seen us, but we too served.
The Poem:
Coasties On The Wall
� 1997, by Dolly Juhlin
Could it be your brother there?
Or a sweetheart, or your friend?
All the years that have gone by
Still the memories never end -
Time stands still for seven
of them
In memories they stand tall
Seven U.S. Coast Guard men who served
Shadowed names upon a wall -
On a mission far from home
Not knowing what would be
They sacrificed the ultimate
Heroes for you and me -
Ever ready to go forth
Who would know their end
Atta boy's are silent now
Let's not forget these men -
Long ago they sailed away
to a different port of call
Do salute them silently
Coasties one and all.
Official
Information
Rittichier, Jack Columbus
LT - Coast Guard - Regular
34 year old Married, Caucasian, Male
Born on 08/17/33
From Barberton, Ohio
Length of service 10 years.
His tour of duty began on
Casualty was on 06/09/68
in Quang Tri, South Vietnam
Hostile, Helicopter - Pilot
Air Loss, Crash On Land
Body was not recovered *
Panel 58W - - Line 14
Official
Information
Brostrom, David Charles
LTJG - Coast Guard - Regular
25 year old Married, Caucasian, Male
Born on 08/09/41
From Los Altos, California
Length of service 4 years.
His tour of duty began on
Casualty was on 08/11/66
in South Vietnam
Non-Hostile, Ground Casualty
Other Accident
Body was recovered
Religion - Protestant
Panel 09E - Line 126
Official Information
Kirkpatrick, Michael Ward
LTJG - Coast Guard - Reserve
25 year old Married, Caucasian, Male
Born on 01/31/44
From Gainesville, Florida
Length of service 2 years.
His tour of duty began on
Casualty was on 08/09/69
in South Vietnam
Hostile, died of wounds
Ground Casualty
Artillery, Rocket, or Mortar
Body was recovered
Religion - PROTESTANT
Panel 20W - Line 119
Official
Information
Beeson, Morris Sampson
ENC - Coast Guard - Regular
37 year old Married, Caucasian, Male
Born on 03/08/32
From Pitkins, Louisiana
Length of service 18 years.
His tour of duty began on 09/20/68
Casualty was on 03/22/69
in South Vietnam
Hostile, Sea Casualty
Gun, Small Arms Fire
Body was recovered
Religion - Protestant
Panel 28W - Line 8
Official
Information
Painter, Michael Harris
EN1 - Coast Guard - Regular
26 year old Married, Caucasian, Male
Born on 02/28/43
From Moscow, Idaho
Length of service 4 years.
His tour of duty began on
Casualty was on 08/08/69
in South Vietnam
Hostile, Ground Casualty
Artillery, Rocket, or Mortar
Body was recovered
Religion - PROTESTANT
Panel 20W - Line 115
Official
Informationon
Phillips, Jerry
EN2 - Coast Guard - Regular
27 year old Married, Caucasian, Male
Born on 03/13/39
From Corpus Christi, Texas
Length of service 8 years.
His tour of duty began on
Casualty was on 08/11/66
in South Vietnam
Non-Hostile, Ground Casualty
Other Accident
Body was recovered
Religion - PROTESTANT
Panel 09E - Line 128
Official
Information
Hernandez, Heriberto Segov
FN - Coast Guard - Regular
20 year old Single, Caucasian, Male
Born on 07/23/48
From San Antonio, Texas
His tour of duty began on
Casualty was on 12/05/68
in South Vietnam
Hostile, Ground Casualty
Gun, Small Arms Fire
Body was recovered
Religion - Roman Catholic
Panel 37W - Line 46
|
