PFC JAMES WALLER

 

James Waller of West Dauphin Street, North Philadelphia, was an expert fencer who won many medals for Dobbins Vo Tech High School. He went to work at the old Philco-Ford television assemply factory at C and Tioga streets before being drafted in January 1968. He never complained about the tough duty in Vietnam, family members said, because he did not want them to worry. The 20-year-old Private First Class was assigned to Company B, 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry (Wolfhounds), 25th Infantry Division. Among the combat decorations Waller received before and after his death on August 24th, 1968, was the Silver Star. He was survived by his parents, Mr and Mrs John Waller, Philadelphia. James is buried in Philadelphia National Cemetery, Pennsylvania. Photo of James taken in Vietnam, date unknown.

In 2009, a friend of James Waller, Karl Karlgaard, carried the plaque below to honor the memory of his Wolfhound friends back to Vietnam to bury near the site he was killed in action, but there is so much development there and people zipping up and down the highway that he figured it would be on the black market in about 20 minutes. He brought it home, and it is now in a place of honor at the local Vet Center, near where Karl lives. The three men who were killed during the firefight on Fire Support Base Schofield are: SP4 Carl Lee Borgan, Manteca, California (Bronze Star) PFC Billy Smith, Edmonton, Kentucky (Bronze Star) PFC James Waller, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Silver Star) The photo below is the location of Fire Support Base Schofield, where Karl first lost friends in a battle on August 24, 1968. He brought a memorial plaque and the Wolfhound flag to honor their memory. The old base is nothing but a memory. This area that was so desolate in 1968 is now full of houses and businesses. Karl said, "Without the GPS to tell us where it was located, we would have driven right past it." In fact, they drove past it twice while looking for it. - - - - - The Virtual Wall, December 10, 2013

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