Our teammate, Frank Ray Noe, was born on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1941 and joined the Armed Forces while in his home town of Hot Springs, Arkansas.  He served as a 91B40 (Medic) in the United States Army Special Forces.  In 8 years of service, he attained the rank of Sergeant First Class (SFC/E6).

     In 1967 Sergeant First Class Frank Noe was serving as the Team Medic for our detachment.  A portion of A-502's mission was to advise and assist the Vietnamese Special Forces in the conduct of the Civilian Irregular Defense Group (CIDG) Program.   To Support A-502s mission, Sergeant First Class Noe organized and conducted Medical Civic Action Patrols that provided health care and inoculation to thousands of Vietnamese and Montagnard civilians.  He personally trained local medics to help him conduct daily sick call for the camps 300 CIDG soldiers.  With untiring efforts and professionalism, Sergeant First Class Noe expanded the camps dispensary into a facility for treating both military personnel and civilian dependents, dispensing medication and providing health and sanitation instruction in the fight against disease and illness.

     When he went out on long-range patrols into the hostile jungle mountains, or on dangerous local security operations Sergeant First Class Noe was a proven and a respected combat leader.  On November 1, 1967 Sergeant First Class Noe was leading a night patrol blocking an NVA/VC force from infiltrating a local village. In the midst of deploying the CIDG soldiers and establishing ambush positions to defend the village from attack, Sergeant First Class Noe was killed in action.

     Sergeant First Class Noe's tact, quite demeanor, and his ability to handle a variety of camp medical situations, as well as his fighting skills in combat, earned him the admiration of all his U.S. Special Forces Team Members, the Vietnamese Special Forces, and the CIDG Soldiers that he served with.

     To honor Sergeant First Class Noe's bravery, dedication, and sacrifice, the CIDG soldiers erected a cement monument bearing his name and placed it at the Camp Trung Dung Dispensary where he helped so many.

     Sergeant First Class Noe's military awards included the Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Cluster and the Purple Heart.