Birth 20JUN47 Rank PFC Date of Death 04MAR66 P. of birth   Service Marines Place S. Vietnam town of rec. Seattle Unit F CO 2ND BN 7TH MARS Death Code Hostile Died; Ground Casualty; Gun, Small Arms Fire Hometown   service # 2128942 Panel 05EAST - 102 married Single Medals   MIA -   Comment   Tour Date   Cemetery

    Michael Anthony SHANDS

Birth 03JUL45 Rank LCPL Date of Death 04MAR66 P. of birth   Service Marines Place S. Vietnam town of rec. Issaquah Unit F CO 2ND BN 7TH MARS Death Code Hostile Died; Ground Casualty; Gun Small Arms Fire Hometown   service # 2108304 Panel 05EAST - 109 married Married Medals   MIA -   Comment   Tour Date   Cemetery

    Charles Eugene ANDERSON

Birth 23JUL41 Rank SGT Date of Death 05MAR66 P. of birth   Service Marines Place Quang Ngai, S. Vietnam town of rec. Spokane Unit 1ST MAR DIV, M CO, 3RD BN, 1ST MARINES Death Code Hostile Died; Ground Casualty; Gun, Small Arms Fire Hometown   service # 1823948 Panel 05EAST - 112 married Married Medals   MIA -   Tour Date   Comment Operation Utah Cemetery

Soldier's Life Was Dream of Victim
A Spokane youth who always wanted to be a soldier has become the third fatality from this city in a month in the fighting in Viet Nam. Killed last Saturday at Quang Ngai on the central coast of Viet Nam was Marine Sgt. Charles E. Anderson, 24, who attended North Central High School and enlisted in the Marine Corps when he was only 16. Mrs. Charles E. Anderson, mother of two small children, said she had received a letter from her husband on the Friday before his death in which he wrote "the going is rough, but I am doing what I want to do."
    Wanted to Be Soldier
" For as long as I can remember he wanted to be a soldier," said his mother, Mrs. Gladys Eggers, E3725 Ermina. Other survivors include two sisters, Mrs. Eileen Simpson, Alaska, and Mrs. Susan Douglas, Spokane, His own children are Charles E. Anderson Jr., 21 months, and John Luther Anderson, three months, who was born after his father left for overseas. They live with their mother at E6920 Second. Sergeant Anderson told his wife he was taking part in "Operation Double Eagle," after completing three days rest leave at Chu Lai. He had been in Viet Nam less than two months. Prior to that he was assigned to Camp Pendleton CA as a platoon leader and instructor.

Dies In Viet Nam Marine Sgt. Charles E. Anderson, 24, of Spokane, has become the third local man killed in the Viet Nam War since early February. It was announced on Tuesday that he died of head wounds last Saturday. His wife and two children live at E6920 Second, and his mother at E3725 Ermina. In addition to the three Spokane men killed recently two men who formerly lived in Spokane have been killed in Viet Nam since Aug. 1963. (Spokesman Review, Spokane WA 9 Mar 1966)

Researcher comment - Death of 5 Washington State men
    The plan - Operation Utah called for using one battalion of ARVN paratroopers and one battalion of Marines to drive the 21st NVA Regiment out of the area northwest of Quang Ngai City. The ARVN's would be brought in first to secure the Landing Zone and then would be reinforced by the 7th Marines. Together they would move up Highway 527 taking out the enemy as they found them. It was easy to say and very difficult to do as the enemy, 2 full battalions, was well entrenched.
    4 Mar 66, the Landing Zone, rice paddies surrounded by Hills 97, 85, and 50 was bombed and strafed and eventually naphamed. The helicopters brought the troops in and suffered losses...
    Charles ANDERSON was a member of Mike Company and this company was sent out to help the ARVN secure Hill 50. ( Mike Company gives an indepth overview of this process.)
    5 Mar 66, Mike Company bumped into a well- dug force NVA at Chau Ngai, east of Hill 50. Lima and India Company were also sent to Hill 50 and found no ARVN's just North Vietnamese... Unable to take the Hill they withdraw and join up with a battered Mike Company...
    Michael W. Hastriter, a Navy Corpsman assigned to India Company, wrote an intense tribute for Steven CHURCH who died from 3 shots to his chest while firing beside him (See Steven Church Remembrance). Hastriter said "Our mission was to relieve Mike Company (our sister company in our battalion) who had sustained many casualties before we arrived. As we worked our way to the floor of the valley, we could hear explosions and automatic weapons fire across the valley". He tells about the helicopters being shot up and Steven Church receiving a hit inside the helicopter (a second purple heart injury). He tells about treating and removing the wounded...
    Another member of India Company was Alan MULFORD who died from small arms fire that day.
    On 5 Mar 1966, the men of 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines lost 32 of their comrades and 90 were wounded during this first day of battle. Including 3 Washington State Marines.
    Also on 5 Mar 1966, Roy HARBISON, fighting with the Army 1st Inf Div. died from small arms fire and Danny NETH, crew member, was shot down in a Huey helicopter during a courageous rescue attempt where both of the pilots were awarded (posthumously) the second-highest award - DSC.
   On 6 Mar 1966, after intense bombing and fighting Hill 50 was taken... with an additonal loss of 65 Marines and 188 wounded.
Sources... Bruce Swander; Mike Company ; and see Steven Church Remembrance.

    Steven Anthony CHURCH

Birth 06MAR45 Rank PFC Date of Death 05MAR66 P. of birth   Service Marines Place Quang Ngai, S. Vietnam town of rec. Renton Unit India Co., 3rd Bn, 1st Marine Div Death Code Hostile Died; Ground Casualty; Gun Small Arms Fire Hometown   service # 2033355 Panel 05EAST - 119 married Single Medals   MIA -   Comment   Tour Date   Cemetery

Researcher comment - Death of 5 Washington State men
    The plan - Operation Utah called for using one battalion of ARVN paratroopers and one battalion of Marines to drive the 21st NVA Regiment out of the area northwest of Quang Ngai City. The ARVN's would be brought in first to secure the Landing Zone and then would be reinforced by the 7th Marines. Together they would move up Highway 527 taking out the enemy as they found them. It was easy to say and very difficult to do as the enemy, 2 full battalions, was well entrenched.
    4 Mar 66, the Landing Zone, rice paddies surrounded by Hills 97, 85, and 50 was bombed and strafed and eventually naphamed. The helicopters brought the troops in and suffered losses...
    Charles ANDERSON was a member of Mike Company and this company was sent out to help the ARVN secure Hill 50. ( Mike Company gives an indepth overview of this process.)
    5 Mar 66, Mike Company bumped into a well- dug force NVA at Chau Ngai, east of Hill 50. Lima and India Company were also sent to Hill 50 and found no ARVN's just North Vietnamese... Unable to take the Hill they withdraw and join up with a battered Mike Company...
    Michael W. Hastriter, a Navy Corpsman assigned to India Company, wrote an intense tribute for Steven CHURCH who died from 3 shots to his chest while firing beside him (See Steven Church Remembrance). Hastriter said "Our mission was to relieve Mike Company (our sister company in our battalion) who had sustained many casualties before we arrived. As we worked our way to the floor of the valley, we could hear explosions and automatic weapons fire across the valley". He tells about the helicopters being shot up and Steven Church receiving a hit inside the helicopter (a second purple heart injury). He tells about treating and removing the wounded...
    Another member of India Company was Alan MULFORD who died from small arms fire that day.
    On 5 Mar 1966, the men of 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines lost 32 of their comrades and 90 were wounded during this first day of battle. Including 3 Washington State Marines.
    Also on 5 Mar 1966, Roy HARBISON, fighting with the Army 1st Inf Div. died from small arms fire and Danny NETH, crew member, was shot down in a Huey helicopter during a courageous rescue attempt where both of the pilots were awarded (posthumously) the second-highest award - DSC.
   On 6 Mar 1966, after intense bombing and fighting Hill 50 was taken... with an additonal loss of 65 Marines and 188 wounded.
Sources... Bruce Swander; Mike Company ; and see Steven Church Remembrance.

    Roy F. 'Frank' HARBISON

Birth 28JUN45 Rank SP4 Date of Death 05MAR66 P. of birth Ventura CA Service Army Place S. Vietnam town of rec. Vancouver Unit 1st Inf Div, A Co, 2nd Bn, 28th Inf Death Code Hostile, Ground Casualty; Gun, Small Arms Fire Hometown   service # 19781344 Panel 05EAST - 117 married Single Medals   MIA -   Comment   Tour Date 27JAN66 Cemetery     Evergreen High School, Vancouver WA

War Claims First Clark County GI ( By Bill O'Neal, Columbian Staff Reporter)
    A former Evergreen High School student has become Clark County's first reported fatality of the war in Viet Nam according to a Defense Department list released Wednesday.
    Killed in Viet Nam Saturday was 21-year-old Army Specialist 4 Roy F. Harbison of Vancouver, the Defense Department reported. Another Washington man of the list was Marine Sgt. Charles E. Anderson of Spokane.
    Harbison, the son of Mr. and Mrs. N. L. Harbison, of 1713 W. 26th St., had been in Viet Nam only a short time. Mrs. Harbison said he was home on leave through the Christmas and New Year's holidays before leaving for Oakland CA, in about mid-January.
    She noted that he had just completed 14 months of duty in Mannheim, Germany, before coming home and she did not think he would be going to Viet Nam "so soon". Harbison had written only one letter since he arrived in southeast Asia.
    Service Tradition Mrs. Harbison said her son went to Viet Nam "because he felt he should" and he was "proud to be a soldier." His father is an ex-sailor, and his brother, Jim, was released from active duty in the Army last August after three years of service.
    Harbison entered the Army in October, 1963, and had been assigned to the infantry since completing recruit training. He was born in Ventura CA, 28 Jan 1945, but had lived in Vancouver about 17 years. In addition to his parents and brother, the soldier is survived by a sister, Mrs. Marjorie Vibbard, of Riverside CA and his grandfather, Carl Harbison of Bakersfield CA. Funeral arrangements are to be made by Knapp-Gunderson Funeral Chapel, with details to be announced after the soldier's body arrives from Viet Nam. (The Columbian, Vancouver WA, 10 Mar 1966)

Researcher comment - Death of 5 Washington State men
    The plan - Operation Utah called for using one battalion of ARVN paratroopers and one battalion of Marines to drive the 21st NVA Regiment out of the area northwest of Quang Ngai City. The ARVN's would be brought in first to secure the Landing Zone and then would be reinforced by the 7th Marines. Together they would move up Highway 527 taking out the enemy as they found them. It was easy to say and very difficult to do as the enemy, 2 full battalions, was well entrenched.
    4 Mar 66, the Landing Zone, rice paddies surrounded by Hills 97, 85, and 50 was bombed and strafed and eventually naphamed. The helicopters brought the troops in and suffered losses...
    Charles ANDERSON was a member of Mike Company and this company was sent out to help the ARVN secure Hill 50. ( Mike Company gives an indepth overview of this process.)
    5 Mar 66, Mike Company bumped into a well- dug force NVA at Chau Ngai, east of Hill 50. Lima and India Company were also sent to Hill 50 and found no ARVN's just North Vietnamese... Unable to take the Hill they withdraw and join up with a battered Mike Company...
    Michael W. Hastriter, a Navy Corpsman assigned to India Company, wrote an intense tribute for Steven CHURCH who died from 3 shots to his chest while firing beside him (See Steven Church Remembrance). Hastriter said "Our mission was to relieve Mike Company (our sister company in our battalion) who had sustained many casualties before we arrived. As we worked our way to the floor of the valley, we could hear explosions and automatic weapons fire across the valley". He tells about the helicopters being shot up and Steven Church receiving a hit inside the helicopter (a second purple heart injury). He tells about treating and removing the wounded...
    Another member of India Company was Alan MULFORD who died from small arms fire that day.
    On 5 Mar 1966, the men of 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines lost 32 of their comrades and 90 were wounded during this first day of battle. Including 3 Washington State Marines.
    Also on 5 Mar 1966, Roy HARBISON, fighting with the Army 1st Inf Div. died from small arms fire and Danny NETH, crew member, was shot down in a Huey helicopter during a courageous rescue attempt where both of the pilots were awarded (posthumously) the second-highest award - DSC.
   On 6 Mar 1966, after intense bombing and fighting Hill 50 was taken... with an additonal loss of 65 Marines and 188 wounded.
Sources... Bruce Swander; Mike Company ; and see Steven Church Remembrance.

    Alan Craig 'Mulf' MULFORD

Birth 25MAR46 Rank PFC Date of Death 05MAR66 P. of birth   Service Marines Place Quang Ngai, S. Vietnam town of rec. Seattle Unit 3rd Mar Div, I Co, 3rd Bn, 1st Mar Death Code Hostile Died; Ground Casualty; Gun Small Arms Fire Hometown   service # 2148155 Panel 05EAST - 121 married Single Medals   MIA -   Comment   Tour Date   Cemetery Willamette National Cem., Portland OR   Highline High School, Seattle WA, 1964

Researcher comment - Death of 5 Washington State men
    The plan - Operation Utah called for using one battalion of ARVN paratroopers and one battalion of Marines to drive the 21st NVA Regiment out of the area northwest of Quang Ngai City. The ARVN's would be brought in first to secure the Landing Zone and then would be reinforced by the 7th Marines. Together they would move up Highway 527 taking out the enemy as they found them. It was easy to say and very difficult to do as the enemy, 2 full battalions, was well entrenched.
    4 Mar 66, the Landing Zone, rice paddies surrounded by Hills 97, 85, and 50 was bombed and strafed and eventually naphamed. The helicopters brought the troops in and suffered losses...
    Charles ANDERSON was a member of Mike Company and this company was sent out to help the ARVN secure Hill 50. ( Mike Company gives an indepth overview of this process.)
    5 Mar 66, Mike Company bumped into a well- dug force NVA at Chau Ngai, east of Hill 50. Lima and India Company were also sent to Hill 50 and found no ARVN's just North Vietnamese... Unable to take the Hill they withdraw and join up with a battered Mike Company...
    Michael W. Hastriter, a Navy Corpsman assigned to India Company, wrote an intense tribute for Steven CHURCH who died from 3 shots to his chest while firing beside him (See Steven Church Remembrance). Hastriter said "Our mission was to relieve Mike Company (our sister company in our battalion) who had sustained many casualties before we arrived. As we worked our way to the floor of the valley, we could hear explosions and automatic weapons fire across the valley". He tells about the helicopters being shot up and Steven Church receiving a hit inside the helicopter (a second purple heart injury). He tells about treating and removing the wounded...
    Another member of India Company was Alan MULFORD who died from small arms fire that day.
    On 5 Mar 1966, the men of 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines lost 32 of their comrades and 90 were wounded during this first day of battle. Including 3 Washington State Marines.
    Also on 5 Mar 1966, Roy HARBISON, fighting with the Army 1st Inf Div. died from small arms fire and Danny NETH, crew member, was shot down in a Huey helicopter during a courageous rescue attempt where both of the pilots were awarded (posthumously) the second-highest award - DSC.
   On 6 Mar 1966, after intense bombing and fighting Hill 50 was taken... with an additonal loss of 65 Marines and 188 wounded.
Sources... Bruce Swander; Mike Company ; and see Steven Church Remembrance.

    Danny A. NETH

Birth 06JUN38 Rank SP5 Date of Death 05MAR66 P. of birth   Service Army Place S. Vietnam town of rec. Richland Unit 1st Inf Div B Co 1st Avn Bn Death Code Hostile Died; Helicopter - Crew; Air Loss Crash - Land Hometown   service # 19684478 Panel 05EAST - 121 married married Medals   MIA -   Tour Date 25SEP65 Comment Vietnam Helicopter Cemetery

Richland Marks First War Death The tragic nature of the war in Viet Nam became a graphic reality Saturday for a Richland family when a telegram was delivered stating that Danny A. Neth, 28, had been killed when his helicopter (a Huey, tail Number 63-12995) exploded after being hit by small arms fire. Neth's wife of three years whom he had met in Germany, Rose Marie, and 2-year-old daughter, Eve, live on Farrell Lane in Richland. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Guy Neth, Richland. He was Tri-Cities first Viet Nam fatality. The telegram said Neth was crew chief aboard the helicopter which blew up in the air. Neth, who had been in Viet Nam about five months and in the Army about five years, graduated from Columbia High School here in 1957, after playing on a state championship baseball team and taking second in the state wrestling meet. He also played football. He attended Yakima Valley College for a year and Central Washington State College before joining the Army. Neth's brother, Ted, Richland, said his brother was "extremely interested in aviation and aircraft and was working toward his pilot's license." Richland article, (Spokesman Review, Spokane WA, 7 Mar 1966)

Researcher comment - Death of 5 Washington State men
    The plan - Operation Utah called for using one battalion of ARVN paratroopers and one battalion of Marines to drive the 21st NVA Regiment out of the area northwest of Quang Ngai City. The ARVN's would be brought in first to secure the Landing Zone and then would be reinforced by the 7th Marines. Together they would move up Highway 527 taking out the enemy as they found them. It was easy to say and very difficult to do as the enemy, 2 full battalions, was well entrenched.
    4 Mar 66, the Landing Zone, rice paddies surrounded by Hills 97, 85, and 50 was bombed and strafed and eventually naphamed. The helicopters brought the troops in and suffered losses...
    Charles ANDERSON was a member of Mike Company and this company was sent out to help the ARVN secure Hill 50. ( Mike Company gives an indepth overview of this process.)
    5 Mar 66, Mike Company bumped into a well- dug force NVA at Chau Ngai, east of Hill 50. Lima and India Company were also sent to Hill 50 and found no ARVN's just North Vietnamese... Unable to take the Hill they withdraw and join up with a battered Mike Company...
    Michael W. Hastriter, a Navy Corpsman assigned to India Company, wrote an intense tribute for Steven CHURCH who died from 3 shots to his chest while firing beside him (See Steven Church Remembrance). Hastriter said "Our mission was to relieve Mike Company (our sister company in our battalion) who had sustained many casualties before we arrived. As we worked our way to the floor of the valley, we could hear explosions and automatic weapons fire across the valley". He tells about the helicopters being shot up and Steven Church receiving a hit inside the helicopter (a second purple heart injury). He tells about treating and removing the wounded...
    Another member of India Company was Alan MULFORD who died from small arms fire that day.
    On 5 Mar 1966, the men of 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines lost 32 of their comrades and 90 were wounded during this first day of battle. Including 3 Washington State Marines.
    Also on 5 Mar 1966, Roy HARBISON, fighting with the Army 1st Inf Div. died from small arms fire and Danny NETH, crew member, was shot down in a Huey helicopter during a courageous rescue attempt where both of the pilots were awarded (posthumously) the second-highest award - DSC.
   On 6 Mar 1966, after intense bombing and fighting Hill 50 was taken... with an additonal loss of 65 Marines and 188 wounded.
Sources... Bruce Swander; Mike Company ; and see Steven Church Remembrance.

    Alan Michael TANGUAY

Birth 14SEP46 Rank PFC Date of Death 10MAR66 P. of birth   Service Marines Place Quang Tin, S. Vietnam town of rec. Bellingham Unit Co K, 3rd Bn, 7TH Mar Death Code Hostile Died; Ground Casualty; Gun, Small Arms Fire Hometown   service # 2108051 Panel 05EAST - 135 married Single Medals   MIA -   Comment   Tour Date   Cemetery Greenacres Memorial Park, Ferndale WA   Bellingham High School, Bellingham WA, 1964

City man killed in Viet Nam Marine PFC Alan Michel Tanquay, 21, son of Mr. and Mrs. Roland B. Tanquay, 2411 Williams St. was killed by a Viet Cong sniper while on patrol according to the Department of Defense. A member of K Company, 7th Marine Regiment, he was killed last Thursday by sniper fire while on patrol in the vicinity of Chu Lai, in the northern part of Viet Nam. He had been with his regiment in Viet Nam since last August. PFC Tanguay was the fourth area man to die in Viet Nam since November. His name was among eight Marines and six Army men on the latest casualty list. A resident of Bellingham since 1957, he had attended Whatcom Junior High School and was graduated from Bellingham High School in 1964. He was a member of the Catholic Church of the Assumption.Besides his parents, he is survived by a brother, Ronald, and a sister, Patricia Ann, both at home; and his grandparents,Mrs. Louise Tanguay of Eau Gallie FL, and Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Gallagher of Bath ME. Westford Funeral Home will handle arrangements for services here. (The Bellingham Herald, Bellingham WA, Tuesday, 15 Mar 1966)

    Mark Jeffrey GARDELLA

Birth 04NOV46 Rank PFC Date of Death 20MAR66 P. of birth   Service Marines Place Thua Thein, S. Vietnam town of rec. Spokane Unit 3rd Marine Div, B Co, 1st Bn, 4th Marines Death Code Hostile Died; Ground Casualty; Gun, Small Arms Fire Hometown   service # 2077127 Panel 06EAST - 26 married Single Medals   MIA -   Comment   Tour Date   Cemetery

4th Spokane Youth
PFC. M. GARDELLA KILLED IN ACTION
    Marine Corps Pfc. Mark Jeffrey Gardella, 19, an ammunition carrier serving with the Third Marine Division, has become the fourth Spokane youth to lose his life in the war in Viet Nam. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Andrew J. Gardella, E640 Eighteenth, were notified Monday that their son was killed in action, the victim of a gunshot wound.
    He enlisted in the Marines in November 1963, and had been serving in Viet Nam since last September. The parents received a letter Saturday that he had written 12 Mar (1966) informing them that he was moving out with his battalion. He said their assignment was to retake a special forces camp that had been overrun by the Viet Cong.
    The parents were notified of the death by local representatives of the Marine Corps, who said an official telegram would follow supplying details of the time and place. Young Gardella was born in Spokane, attended elementary school here and Lewis and Clark High School.
    Surviving in addition to his parents are three brothers, William K., a U.S. Navy Air Corps reservist; Andrew J., 3rd, and Justin R., all at the home. He was the grandson of the late H. F. Beutelspacher, Spokane.
    Mr. Gardella said he was informed the body of his son will arrive in Spokane in about two weeks for a military funeral. (Spokane Review, Spokane WA, 23 Mar 1966)

    Bruce Randolph LANDIS Jr.

Birth 17JUN44 Rank PFC Date of Death 22MAR66 P. of birth   Service Marines Place Quang Ngai, S. Vietnam town of rec. Seattle Unit K Co, 3rd Bn, 7th Marines Death Code Hostile, Died; Ground Casualty; Multiple Fragmentation Wounds Hometown   service # 2128952 Panel 06EAST - 39 married Single Medals   MIA -   Comment   Tour Date   Cemetery Willamette National Cem., Portland OR

    Clyde Edward MURR

Birth 15OCT47 Rank PFC Date of Death 24MAR66 P. of birth   Service Army Place S. Vietnam town of rec. Richland Unit 1st Inf Div, A Co, 1st Bn, 26th Inf Death Code Hostile Died; Ground Casualty; Multiple Fragmentation Wounds Hometown Walla Walla service # 19822225 Panel 06EAST - 46 married Single Medals   MIA -   Comment   Tour Date 16 Sep 65 Cemetery Arlington National Cemetary

    Patrick Michael DOYLE

Birth 17SEP43 Rank LCPL Date of Death 25MAR66 P. of birth   Service Marines Place Thau Thien, S. Vietnam town of rec. Everett Unit C Co. 1st Bn, 1st Mars, 3rd Mar Div. Death Code Hostile Died; Ground Casualty; Misadventure Hometown   service # 2108049 Panel 06EAST - 50 married Single Medals   Link C/1/1 Comment   Tour Date   Cemetery Cypress Lawn, Everett WA

Researcher notes...
  In some records Patrick Doyle has been listed with a different Unit then the C/1/1 ... Bruce Swander wrote "In the 1965-67 timeframe, the Marines hit the beaches over there en mass - to fight, not to keep accurate records. When a Marine was killed, his remains were sent to Danang to the Mortuary there........which was run by the Army. But.....in many cases, men were wounded on a given date and sent to a field hospital. Sometimes these men would subsequently die much later at the hospital, which created their 'date of death'. When this happened, the hospital couldn't remember with Infantry Unit the man came from, and just reported his death being with XXX Medical group (the hospital). Doyle appears to be one of these cases, and the Army just wrote down what they were told at the Mortuary. Email discussion Bruce Swander, researcher, and Jim McIlhenney, webmaster C/1/1 who sent Pat Doyles picture

    Elwin Claude WISE

Birth 25JUL47 Rank PFC Date of Death 27MAR66 P. of birth Spokane Service Marines Place Thua Thein, S. Vietnam town of rec. Valleyford Unit F Co, 2nd Bn, 1st MARS Death Code Hostile Died; Ground Casualty; Gun, Small Arms Fire Hometown   service # 2108281 Panel 06EAST - 53 married Single Medals   MIA -   Comment   Tour Date   Cemetery Montana

Asian War Veteran: Regional Marine Dies in Viet Battle Action
    Marine Pfc. Elwin C. Wise, 18 was killed in action in Viet Nam Sunday, his mother, Mrs. Warren McMillan, Chewelah, and his father, Wallace W. Wise, Kalispell MT have been informed. Pfc. Wise died near Phu Bai, S. Viet Nam, of head wounds suffered in battle, the Marine Corps said.
    Pfc. Wise was born in Spokane, attended Freeman High School near Rockford WA, and enlisted in the Marine Corps in August 1964. He had lived at Kalispell, Wallace ID and San Diego CA.
    An American Flag was displayed Tuesday at the McMillan farm home four miles northeast of Chewelah on Flowery Trail Road, where family members from Kalispell and Chewelah gathered.
    Mrs. Gary Johnson, Kalispell, Elwin's sister, said he had written her recently that he had helped train South Vietnamese volunteers and had taken part in at least 12 operations or landings including Harvest Moon.
    The Marine's father, Wallace Wise, said Elwin was a third generation Marine, preceded by his grandfather, Noyce Clapper, Loon Lake WA, in World War I, and by himself in World War II.
    The body will be sent to Waggener & Campbell Funeral Home in Kalispell. (Spokesman-Review, Spokane WA 30 Mar 1966)

    William Richard WEST

Birth 21FEB41 Rank SGT Date of Death 28MAR66 P. of birth   Service Marines Place Thua Thein, S. Vietnam town of rec. Spokane Unit 3rd Mar Div, C Co, 1st Bn, 1st Mars Death Code Hostile Died; Ground Casualty; Other Explosive Device Hometown   service # 1805996 Panel 06EAST - 58 married Married Medals   Link C/1/1 Comment   Tour Date   Cemetery

Sgt. West is Killed in Viet Nam Sgt. William R. West, 25, was killed Monday by fragments from a mine explosion in south Viet Nam, according to word received by his family from the Marine Corps Wednesday. He was the son of Mrs. Silas T. Madsen, W3318 Cora. his wife, Lilly, and two small daughters live at N4812 A. An eight-year Marine Corps veteran, he attended North Central High School prior to entering the service. He came to Spokane in 1954. He married his wife in 1962 while stationed near Cavite City, Philippine Islands. Other survivors include two sisters, Mrs. Viola Clark, Fayetteville NC, and Mrs. Judith MacKenzie, Jordan Valley OR and two brothers, Edward West, Spokane, and Ralph A. West, US Navy in the Viet Nam area. (Spokesman Review, Spokane WA, 31 Mar 1966)

    Mark Stephen BLACK

Birth 07NOV47 Rank PFC Date of Death 30MAR66 P. of birth   Service Marines Place Quang Nam, S. Vietnam town of rec. Richland Unit K CO 3RD BN 9TH MARS Death Code Hostile Died Wounds; Ground Casualty; Other Explosive Device Hometown   service # 2129009 Panel 06EAST - 62 married Single Medals   MIA -   Tour Date   Comment Mark Black Click Tribute Cemetery

     John Shaw SABINE IV

Birth 16JUN39 Rank CAPT Date of Death 30MAR66 P. of birth   Service Army (Reserve) Place S. Vietnam town of rec. Tacoma Unit 1st Cav Div, Trp A ,1st Sqd, 9th Cav Death Code Hostile Died Missing; Helicopter - NonCrew; Air Loss, Crash - Land Hometown   service # 53116367 Panel 06EAST - 68 married Married Medals   MIA -   Tour Date 16AUG65 Comment See book "Headhunters" Cemetery

I was going to use an excerpt from "Headhunters: Stories from the 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry, in Vietnam 1965-1971" by Matthew Brennan. Sabine's chapter is 17 pages and he mentions lots of names. But it was impossible for me to use his letters... I, personally, couldn't pick one without using the others ... I will close with Matthew Brennan's comments: "John Sabine died at The Battle of Chu Pong Massif. Alpha troop lost five helicopters and lots of people that day. The infantry platoon was effectively wiped out after landing."