THE WALL OF FACES

Looking for Sgt. Ronald Threatt of yorba,linda so I. Can make contact.I served in the Marines

Jamie was my best friend in Yorba Linda. His uncle was a colonel in the army corps of engineers and I thought Jamie would follow me into the Corps of Engineers. He and his mom had this peach tree at their house in Yorba Linda. The highlight of our summer was to watch each peach come to age and pick them off one at a time and take it into his kitchen and split it between the two of us. It was a very old peach tree so it didn't throw 100 peaches. We were lucky to get 15 off that tree. Even so many years later, everytime I eat a peach I remember he and I watching those peaches age to perfection, picking them and eating them. He would have made a great father and we would have continued our friendship.

James (Jamie) McKenzie was a high school classmate of mine. We lost Jamie when he was Killed In Action (KIA) on 4 September 1967 shortly after arriving in-country Vietnam in 1967. This would have been McKenzie’s first tour in Vietnam.
Jamie McKenzie was assigned to Mike Company, 3/5 Marines when he was KIA during a very fierce battle of Operation Swift on 4 September 1967. During that operation Company M was providing flank security for their Battalion Command Group when a large North Vietnamese Army (NVA) force heavily engaged it. This was an especially hard day for Mike Company, on the day Jamie was killed; Mike Company alone suffered sixteen KIAs along with two who were awarded the Medal of Honor and two who were awarded the Navy Cross. http://www.combatwife.net/swiftkias.htm
On the day Jamie McKenzie was killed his unit, Mike Company Along With Kilo Company, was advancing across open rice paddies towards entrenched NVA positions. 1st Platoon of Mike Company ran into an L-shaped ambush. 2nd Platoon was sent in to rescue and was immediately attacked by a full company of NVA. While 1st Platoon was able to retreat back to the main Company position, the 2nd couldn't disengage. In this fight SGT Lawrence Peters won his Medal of Honor, awarded posthumously, in leading his men in repulsing repeated attempts to overrun his position. Navy Chaplain 1LT Vincent Capadonno was with 2nd Platoon and also was awarded a posthumous Medal of Honor for his efforts in pulling wounded men to safety in face of overwhelming enemy fire. Relief came in the evening when an A-6 silenced an Anti Aircraft (AA) gun emplacement, allowing more air support. The NVA withdrew during the night. 1LT Murray, the company commanding officer was awarded a Navy Cross for his actions during this day.
Source: USMC Combat Histories http://www.combatwife.net/combathistories.htm

Rest Easy Marine, You are Remembered

James or Jamie ( as we called him ) is my uncle my fathers brother. I only knew for eleven years but the memories you left me with are all good. When you left for Vietnam you gave away you possessions because you knew you weren't coming back which has always left a bit of a haunted feeling of loss to come. You gave me our slot car set which on weekends you took me out to race. You gave your first and my first rifle. Although some of these items have been lost over the years as young men do but your rifle is well cleaned and oiled and still used to this very day. Jamie was loved by many, I don't think a year goes by that I don't reflect on memories of you. Like the times we had egg fights with your friend in the orange groves in Yorba Linda or the tubing down the Santa Ana River. Rest in peace and I'll see you someday.