THE WALL OF FACES

Merry Heavenly Christmas!! Send snow! Love, M&M

During May 1967, the 1st Battalion, 9th Marines, 3rd Marine Division was engaged in two major operations in Quang Tri Province, RVN, Operations Hickory and Prairie IV. During the first part of the month, the battalion provided security for Dong Ha Combat Base. It was later tasked with the same mission at the Con Thien Civilian Irregular Defense Group (CIDG) Camp. By maintaining the battalion at Con Thien, patrols consisting of two companies could be sent out into the area to the north and east of the base. The operations were characterized by light enemy contact; however, a significant enemy engagement occurred on May 28th when 1st Platoon, Company D received automatic weapons fire from an estimated North Vietnamese Army (NVA) company while conducting search and destroy operations four kilometers (2.4 miles) northeast of Con Thien. The platoon assaulted the forward positions of the NVA unit, obtaining six enemy kills and ten probable kills. The company command group and 3rd Platoon moved up to assist extracting the 1st Platoon which had become pinned down during the fighting. Second Platoon, securing a nearby landing zone, redeployed to rejoin the rest of D Company in withdrawing casualties. While enroute, it was taken under fire by twenty NVA. The platoon returned fire resulting in four NVA kills and eleven probable kills. Company C, 1/9 moved into position to assist Company D which by then had broken contact because of impending darkness and to evacuate casualties. Heavy artillery fire and air strikes were placed on the enemy positions. These fires were extremely effective, and during one napalm attack, screams from the NVA casualties could be heard 200 yards away. A two-company perimeter was established, the casualties evacuated, and an emergency resupply was received. The two companies then moved to a new location where they set up a night defensive position. No further contact with the enemy was made. Five Marines were killed during the hostilities and eighteen wounded. The lost personnel included PFC Lloyd M. Adkins Jr., PFC John W. Avelleyra, SGT Richard Brown, LCPL Robert E. Monahon, and CPL George M. Walkinshaw. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and “Command Chronology (1st Bn 9th Marines), May 1967” at ttu.edu]

It's Mary-Margaret. 55 years...It's so hard to comprehend. Letting you know I'm a "Bubba" to 3 little granddaughters! From everything I've heard and read, I know you would have been a great Dad and Pops. I see Dec 11 family are invited to lay a wreath in Arlington. I'm hoping to get my family there to do this. Say hi to Mom and Dad. Keep us in your prayers for healing as a family. Love you..

Private First Class John William Avelleyra, Served with Company D, 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, Third Marine Amphibious Force.

Thank you for your service to ur country so ng ago sir. It is bth heart-wrenching and inspiring to read the remembrances here fro family members. Clearly, they loved you. As long as you are remembered you will never truly die....