2 Oct 2004 "If you are able, save for them a place inside of you and save one backward glance when you are leaving for the places they can no longer go. "Be not ashamed to say you loved them, though you may or may not have always. Take what they have taught you with their dying and keep it with your own. "And in that time when men decide and feel safe to call the war insane, take one moment to embrace those gentle heroes you left behind." Major Michael Davis O'Donnell 1 January 1970 Dak To, Vietnam MIA 24 Mar 1970 Listed as KIA February 7, 1978

 

A Note from The Virtual Wall On 10 December 1966 the 2nd and 3rd Platoons, Mike 3/3 Marines, were on the move. As they approached the Song Cam Lo River the 3rd Platoon formed a semi-circular perimeter through which the second platoon and the company command group passed. A capable swimmer strung a rope from bank to bank and the 2nd Platoon began to ford the swift-flowing, chest deep river. As the Marines were crossing, two F-4 Phantoms passed over heading down-river. A break was called with 2nd Platoon and most of the command group on the far side and 3rd Platoon and the remaining members of the command group on the near side. The two Phantoms returned from down-stream and one dropped two bombs into the center of the perimeter formed by the 3rd Platoon. Thirteen men were killed outright and fourteen others badly injured. Of the five Corpsmen on the near side only one was uninjured - and the rope had been severed by the blasts, preventing the Corpsmen on the far side from recrossing the river. Although medevac helicopters were called in without delay, several of the wounded died while aboard the helicopters. The 3rd Bn, 3rd Marines' Command Chronology contains the following entry: "At 1024H, M/3/3 at XD 950922 rec'd (2) 250-lb bombs which apparently missed target area and went long over ridge landing on M/3/3 resulting in 17 USMC KIA and 11 USMC WIA.ï¿ 1/2 ï¿ 1/2 At 1438h, Med Evac of M/3/3 casualties completed." The seventeen Marines and sailors who died in the incident were C Btry, 1st Bn, 12th Marines Pfc John D. Gayman, East Point, GA H&S Co, 3rd Bn, 3rd Marines HM3 John N. Grachtrup, Grand Rapids, MI HM3 Donald J. Rion, Northbrook, IL (Silver Star) Cpl Clifford R. Singleton, New York, NY LCpl William H. Bator, Akron, OH Pfc John H. Knudsen, Chicago, IL Pfc Jack W. Logan, Willoughby, OH M Co, 3rd Bn, 3rd Marines 1stLt John S. Sayer, Watertown, NY GySgt Joseph Clemons, Orlando, FL SSgt Doyle A. McShan, Houston, TX Sgt Owen F. Neumyer, Harrisburg, PA LCpl Jerry K. Patrick, Denver, CO Pfc Michael L. Crouson, Pocatello, ID Pfc Charles J. Esbensen, Philadelphia, PA Pfc Martin Ruiz, San Antonio, TX Pfc Robert D. Sage, Rochester, NY Pfc Phillip T. Wiley, Pueblo, CO

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