THE WALL OF FACES

SEMPER FI

Never forgotten.

Semper Fi, Marine

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. The remembrance from your friend Reginald Shareef is moving. As long as you are remembered you will always be with us…..

You will forever remain in our hearts and prayers

In late April 1969, K Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division, was conducting company-sized a search and clear operation near Dai Loc (Ai Nghia) in Quang Nam Province, RVN. The Company had marched off Hill 55, a USMC strongpoint and the Battalion Headquarters for 3/1. After a full day’s march, they began setting up a defensive position from where they would launch patrols and continue the mission’s objectives. On April 26th, a detail consisting of two riflemen and a couple of mortarmen were sent out to bring water back to the Marine’s position. Carrying rifles and some large containers, they were about a half-mile away when they heard two to three 81mm mortar rounds fall near K Company’s location. The water detail abandoned their mission and rushed back to K Company’s position. Upon returning, they found that two Marines, rifleman PFC Robert J. Carter (nicknamed “Sticks” because he was a drummer in a band) and mortarman PFC Gary Allen, had been killed by the exploding rounds. Two others were wounded. A medivac was requested, and the dead and wounded were removed. One of the wounded, a mortar squad leader named LCPL Alfonso A. Webb, died shortly after being evacuated. It was later surmised the rounds were the result of a faulty fire mission emanating from Hill 55 which had a unit of 81mm mortars located there. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and information provided by Paul A. Robbins (December 2018)]