CPL RODNEY GLENN HELSEL

 

22 Jun 2004 Photo courtesy of Ralph Laubecher REMEMBERED by his comrades in the 5th Infantry

 

A Note from The Virtual Wall B Company, 1/5th Infantry, lost four men to an explosion on 11 March 1970: SSG Roger L. Coffman, Columbus, OH CPL John M. Chappey, Hammond, IN CPL Rodney G. Helsel, St Joseph, MO CPL Olaf T. Olsen, Melrose Park, IL When the list of servicemen and women who died in Vietnam was compiled in preparation for building the Vietnam Veterans' Memorial, an error was made ... Corporal Helsel was listed twice due to a misspelling of his last name. Thus, his name appears twice on Panel 13 West of the Wall - as the last entry on Line 111 as "Rodney G. Heisel" and as the first entry on Line 112 as "Rodney G. Helsel". Sergeant Coffman's name is next to Cpl Helsel's name on Line 112; Cpl Chappey's name is two lines up; and Cpl Olsen's name is immediately below Helsel and Coffman. During the engraving of the Wall, a second error was made - and Corporal Helsel's name was engraved a third time on Panel 12 West, Line 005, among the men who died on 16 March 1970:

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