THE WALL OF FACES

The Western Union telegram received by 2LT Vaughn's grandmother in California notifying her of his death.

Lt. Richard W. Vaughn is buried at Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno, CA. (Image courtesy of William Michelini)

1st BATTALION 9th MARINES COMMAND DIARY/CHRONOLOGY DECEMBER 6, 1967



A partial Narrative Summary taken from the 1stbattalion9thmarines.com website



During December 1967 the 1st Battalion, 9th Marines was located at Camp Evans, RVN as the Resident Infantry Battalion. The mission of the Battalion was to provide for the security of Camp Evans and its ancillary facilities. The Battalion was also required to place a Rifle Company (Rein) under operational control of the 2nd Battalion, 26th Marines as security for a “Rock Crusher” operated by the Seabees at Nam Hoa. Company “B” was tasked for this mission.



At 1840H on 6 December, Company “B” at Nam Hoa received approximately thirty-five rounds of enemy 82mm mortar fire. All the rounds landed within the Company’s perimeter causing six WIA and eight KIA (one KIA was a Kit Carson Scout). Counter mortar fire was fired with 81mm mortars, with unobserved results.



(Lt. Vaughn, a member of B Co., 1st Bn., 9th Marines, died as a result of wounds suffered during the mortar attack)







 

 

Lt Vaughn was my platoon commander for 1st platoon, Bravo company, 1st Bn, 9th Marines along the DMZ in Vietnam, 1967. I was a private and I didn't personally deal with Lt Vaughn but I do know this, Lt Vaughn never wavered under fire or unnecessarily put his men lives at risk. He was good Marine who served under the most difficult of combat conditions. I could not have asked for better. Thanks Lt, thank you very much.

Lieutenant Richard W. Vaughn was a sociology major at the University of Oklahoma and participated in the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps program at OU. Lieutenant Vaughn graduated OU Naval ROTC a midshipman on January 22, 1967. Upon graduation, he was ordered to Quantico, VA. In October 1967 he was deployed to Vietnam as a platoon leader with B Company, 1st Battalion, 9th Marine, 3rd Marine Division. His unit provided security for the Seabees operating at Nam Hoa when he and seven others were killed by enemy mortar fire. Lieutenant Vaughn was 23 years-old and had been in-country less than two months.