THE WALL OF FACES

Thank you for your service to our county so long ago sir. As long as you are remembered you will always be with us.

On February 3, 1967, a reconnaissance patrol from 2nd Platoon, A Company, 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, was attacked in their night position by a reinforced Viet Cong (VC) platoon near Sa Khom, six miles southwest of Duc Pho in Quang Ngai Province, RVN. The patrol, consisting of eleven enlisted men, were inserted by helicopter and instructed to set up an observation post and report on enemy activity in the area. At approximately 9:00 PM, while in place in their night position, they were surrounded and repeatedly attacked by an estimated sixty VC. The patrol leader and his assistant, SGT Robert F. Starbuck and CPL Robert L. Shafer, were killed in the first minutes of the fight as the Marines again and again repulsed the enemy’s attempts to overrun their position. They radioed for help, and a U.S. Air Force flare ship came on station overhead. Contact with the besieged patrol was lost when both their radios were shot out. Two more Marines, PFC Robert L. Armitage and PFC Edward F. Smith, were killed during the hour-long engagement before the enemy broke contact. Five others were wounded, including a Lance Corporal who took command after the patrol leadership was killed. While shouting encouragement and directing fire, he helped the other wounded until they were extracted shortly after 4:00 AM. Enemy losses were unknown, however, the Marines could hear the VC dragging their dead through the bushes and heard the VC moaning. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and Command Chronology, 1st Reconnaissance Battalion (Rein), Chu Lai, February 1967; also, “Wounded Marine Saves Patrol.” Pacific Stars & Stripes, February 6, 1967]

DEAR PFC ARMITAGE,
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AS A MARINE GRUNT. SEMPER FI AND REST IN PEACE.

Private First Class Robert Laymon Armitage, Served with the 2nd Platoon, Company A, 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, Third Marine Amphibious Force.

Semper Fi, Marine.