21 May 2002 "To live in the hearts we leave behind, is never to have died." (Thomas Campbell, circa 1888) From his brother, Steve Bagnall 71-2 Pond Meadow Rd, Ivoryton, Conn 06449 srbagnall@comcast.net

 

19 Jul 2007 I attended the funeral for Robert Bagnall at Sacred Heart Church in Bloomfield when I was 10 years old. I did not really understand about Viet Nam and what we were doing there. I remember the huge impact it made on me that a young man was willing to die for this cause. Though I never knew Bagnall when he was alive, I know the family and have driven past their house in Bloomfield thousands of times. (I did again this morning.) Every time I do, I thank Dr and Mrs Bagnall and their family and of course Robert for his sacrifice for me, my family, our town, our church and ultimately our country. I hope that I never lose the respect and appreciation I have for Robert and what he did for me and my children. When I first visited the Wall in Washington about 10 years ago I had to find his name and say my own "thank you." I was so tempted to call the family when I came back to CT and again express my respect and appreciation, but I was uncertain how it would be received. So now, 40 years after attending that funeral, I would like to say thank you to the Bagnall family. I wish I had made this connection many years ago. From a friend of his family, Raymond Lagan raymondlagan@comcast.net

 

Notes from The Virtual Wall In mid-January 1968 the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines was working out of the Quang Tri Combat Base, responsible for defending the base itself, for combat patrols around the base, and for convoy escort and reaction force duties along Highway QL-1. While the 1/3 Command Chronology for January 1968 lacks both a day-by-day narrative and the operations log, 1/3's activities through 20 Jan are covered in the 3rd MarDiv's Operation OSCEOLA Situation Reports. The OSCEOLA SITREPS for 13 Jan contain three references to Bravo 1/3: SITREP #339 (131200-1800): "131345H B/1/3 at YD 285524 Marine detonated unknown type mine. Results 4 USMC WIAE" SITREP #340 (131800-2400): "At 131815H B/1/3 at YD 279524 A Marine tripped M-26 grenade rigged as mine. Results 2 WIA med[evaced]" "At 131845H B/1/3 at YD 278524 received approximately 20 rounds of small arms fire from unknown number of VC. Returned small arms fire and UH-1E armed [helicopter]. Area searched, no evidence of enemy casualties." The grid coordinates place Bravo 1/3 on the west bank of the Thach Han River about 4 kilometers east-southeast of Dong Ha. It seems clear that Corporal Bagnall was injured in one of the two mine incidents and died during or shortly after being evacuated.

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