ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS
Fred Arthur
Ken BenckwItz
Phillip Peters
Bill Laber
CHAPLAIN
Dave Backer
SERGEANT-AT-ARMS
Larry Feldman
RECON BATTALION UNIT DIRECTOR
Charles Howdyshell
THE MEMORIAL DONORS
The 1st Reconnaissance Battalion Association members
and friends whose generosity made this memorial a
reality …
H.P. Alewine; P. Alexander; Craig
Amo; James H. Anderson; David Apgar; Doc Aron; Fred
Arthur; Eddie Ash; John Bailey; Robert Baird; Steven
L. Baker; James J. Barta; Mark Bayuk; John Beard;
Jack Below; David Boudreaux; Art Brooks; Robert
“Doc” Buehl; Daniel Caporale; Jim Carroll;
Jimmy M. Chandler; Alex Colvin; Hal Cordova; Kenneth
Cotterman; John M. Derenick; Danny Deasane; Kent
Dickson; William Doherty; Mark E. Doss; Phillip
Downey; Jim Edwards; Carry Efaw; Alan Elfinger;
Eanos T. Evans; Larry Farrell; Bud Fowler; Lother
Lee Freeman; James A. Fossos; Gene S. Giles; David
A Goodfield; William B Goodwin; Pat and Victoria
Grady; Jack Grace; Mrs. Ronald Graebel; Donald Greenlaw;
Curtis and Luana Greutzmacher; Gritz Towers; John
Grandusky; Hilliard Hairston; George W. Haney; John
F. Hare; Wayne Hatton; James A Howard; William Howard;
Charles and Rhonda Howdyshell; Robert Hungate; Vic
Huone; Sgt Maj Jack Jaunal; Larry Keen; Charles
W. Kershaw; Loren Laird; Eugene Lashley; Jim Lubbock
III; Carrol McBride; William McCloskey; David M.
McGraw; Peter R. Merry; Lenny Miller; Kenneth R.
Monnell; Bob Morris and Julie Mooney; James A. Mosel;
Thurman “Doc” Mullins; John Myers; James
R. Oleary; Paul F. Olenski; Charles Olson; Jim Page;
R.A Partee; Leonel R. Perez; David Peters; Phillip
Peters; Frank Portportage; Phillip D. Rogers; Gary
Rosencrans; James H. Rowe; Ed Rowland; Richard Schadl;
Tom Schroder; Jerry Spolter; Daniel Sweeney; Edward
A. Tacchi; Bernard E. Trainor; Daniel M. Turpin;
Robert C. Vermurlen; Jerry Webb; Steven Whitney;
Jim and Sharon Wilker; Danny P. Williams; Audrey
Winkelman; John Witmer and Wayne Zetzman.
Message from the President
The
1st Reconnaissance Battalion Memorial dedication
was the defining event of the 2011 Reunion.
This Patrol Report focuses primarily on the
dedication ceremony, the Memorial and the
tribute to our fallen team-mates.
The Memorial was conceived by Bill Doherty
and brought to fruition with the unwavering
support of our members and donors. Jerry Ravino,
Ed Tacchi, and Hu Campbell were instrumental
in identifying the Korean War Reconnaissance
Company’s dead, while Doc Buehl and
deceased Director Ron Graebel were committed
to creating a historical record of 1st Recon
Battalion’s Vietnam KIAs. The success
of the dedication ceremony is attributable
to the planning and logistics assistance of
Gary Maxam, 1st Recon’s color guard
and the firing detail, bugler and Chaplain
from Quantico. Finally, the eighteen Marines
and Corpsmen who called the roll of our honored
dead, brought dignity and compassion to the
ceremony.
Congratulations to our newly elected Associate
Director Fred Arthur and Association Secretary
Arnold Gasper and our re-elected Historian
David “Doc” Snider and Sergeant-at-
Arms Larry Feldman. Our thanks and appreciation
for the dedication and work of Jim Richards,
who leaves the Board of Directors after six
years of service.
The Marines and Corpsmen of 1st Recon Battalion
again deploy in harms way; keep them in your
thoughts and prayers.
God bless America! God bless the United States
Marine Corps! God bless 1st Reconnaissance
Battalion!
Semper Fidelis,
Charlie Kershaw
1ST RECONNAISSANCE BATTALION MEMORIAL
DEDICATION
The 1st Reconnaissance Battalion Association
dedicated a memorial at the Semper Fidelis Memorial
Park, National Museum of the Marine Corps, to
honor the 262 Marines and Corpsmen who gave
their lives for their Corps and country, while
serving with the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion
in the Korea, Vietnam and Iraqi. The 1200, 18
August 2011 dedication ceremony in the Semper
Fidelis Memorial Chapel was attended by over
one hundred fifty reconnaissance Marines and
Corpsmen, family members and friends of 1st
Reconnaissance Battalion Association.
Lt Gen W.C. “Chip” Gregson, USMC
(Ret), a 1st Reconnaissance Battalion platoon
commander, wounded in Vietnam, was the Guest
of Honor. Lt Gen Gregson’s remarks about
the Marine Corps’ traditional roles
and missions and the contributions of 1st
Recon Battalion set the tone for the dedication
ceremony.
Eighteen 1st Reconnaissance Battalion Marines
and Corpsmen, who served in Korea, Vietnam
and Iraq, called the roll of our honored dead,
identifying each, as inscribed on the face
of the monument, by their rank, name, age
at death and home state.
Following the roll call, Chaplain Scott Morton,
CHC, USN, said a prayer of dedication. The
memorial ceremony moved from the chapel to
1st Reconnaissance Battalion’s imposing
black granite memorial, standing in solemn
testimony to the ultimate sacrifice of two
hundred sixty–two reconnaissance Marines
and Corpsmen. The memorial dedication ceremony
culminated with the placing of a wreath at
the monument, the firing detail rendering
honors and, finally, Taps.
IN REMEMBERANCE OF
1st RECONNAISSANCE BATTALION HONORED DEAD
KOREA 1950-1953
RECONNAISSANCE COMPANY, 1ST MARINE DIVISION
Sgt Dirk Robert Abbas; PFC Horace Alford Jr;
PFC Jonny Lee Allen; Pfc Frank Benenati; Pfc
Robert Lyman Bowers Jr; Cpl Robert Arthur
Bush; Cpl Gerald Joseph Day; Cpl Anthony Domingo
Duram; GySgt. Joseph Rease Errgang; Pfc Leonard
James Ferko; Pfc Paul Leon Ford; Sgt Kenneth
Dwight Hartley; Pfc James Roger Kenny; Cpl
Gordon Wayne Mooney; Sgt James Patrick Mayberry;
Cpl Gordon Martin Moscicki; Pvt Carl Herbert
Owens; Pfc Billy Joe Paige; Sgt Eugene Joseph
Paveglio; Cpl Zachary Taylor Piercy II; Sgt
Summer Eugene Richards; HM3 Louie James Rightmire;
Pfc. Jerome Alexander Runci; Sgt Lloyd Buchanan
Smalley, Navy Cross; Sgt Walter Louis Skwiecz;
Pfc Bruce Merrick Warner; Pvt John Byron Whitson.
1st RECONNAISSANCE BATTALION HONORED DEAD
VIET NAM 1965-1973
LCpl John Terry Adams, Navy Cross, LCpl Ronnie
Darnell Adcox; Gy Sgt Lemuel Lenoel Alewine;
Cpl Anthony Allen; Pfc Ronald Carlis Anderson;
Pfc James Allen Angermiller; Pfc Robert Laymon
Armitage; SSgt Doyle, Atkins; LCpl Charles
Leon Atkison; SSgt Darrell Eugene Ayers, Navy
Cross; Pvt Bartolome Alfonso Baldera; Capt
Eric Marvin Barnes; Sgt Joe Wilson Barnes;
2nd Lt Robert Crozier Barnes, Jr; LCpl James
Allen Barrett; LCpl Lance Bryan Barton; 2nd
Lt Larry Monroe Beck; LCpl Michael James Beck;
Cpl Frank Joseph Beltran; Sgt James Bingenheimer;
Cpl Roger Wayne Bishop; LCpl Gary Paul Bland;
Sgt Godfred Blankenship; Pfc William Joseph
Boland, Jr; LCpl Jimmy Booker; LCpl Frank
Joseph Bosco; Pfc Barry Bernard Broerman;
Pfc Curtis Charles Brown; Cpl Roger Vincent
Paul Burke; Pfc Calvin Franklin Butterfield;
Pfc Darrell Edward Campanello; LCpl James
William Caputo; LCpl Evangelos K. Caranasios;
Pfc Ignatius Carlisi; Pfc Gary Lee Carlson;
Hm Loring William Carper, Jr; Pfc Lawrence
Edward Clark; LCpl William Martin Clark; 1st
Lt James Warren Cockrell Jr; Capt William
Patrick Coll; Pfc Lawrence Henry Collier;
Cpl Luis Felipe Correa; LCpl Francis Joseph
Coulombe; Pfc Arthur Coby Councill, III; LCpl
William Lloyd Crawford; Pfc Robert Lincoln
Crites Jr; LCpl Karl Howard Culp; Capt John
Dudley Dalhouse; Hm2 Russell Glen Daniels;
LCpl Jerry Frederick De Gray; Pfc Donald Bing
Dean; LCpl Kenneth Lamar Deavers, Jr; LCpl
David Vincent Delozier; LCpl David Alan Dennis;
Sgt Roy Geread Dorsett; LCpl Jean Pierre Dowling;
Pfc Kenneth Lee Drew; 2nd Lt Shelton Lee Eakin;
Pfc Marcus Richard Eckenrode; LCpl Terrece
Eugene Edgar; Cpl Richard Wayne Evans; Pfc
Larry Freeman Faulkner; 2nd Lt Thomas Bernard
Ferguson; LCpl, Patrick Jay Fleming; LCpl
Victor James, Ford; LCpl Jimmy Don Fulford;
LCpl Donald Gagne; LCpl Marcial Bondoc Garcia;
Pfc David Julian Gier; LCpl Walter Edward
Gierman II; Pfc Franklin Delano R Gilbert;Pfc
Robert Earl Gill; LCpl William Alan Gilmore;
Pfc Thomas Duane Glawe; Hm 3 Louis Lloyd Goers;
Pfc Charles Henry Goldmeyer; Cpl Thomas Walter
Goszewski; 1stLt Arthur Powell Gray IV; Pvt
Arthur Willie Greene; Cpl Harold Dexter Griffin;
Sgt Edwin Russell Grissett Jr; Cpl William
Allen Guillory; Pfc James Oscar Hall Jr; SSgt
Kenneth Robert Hall; Pfc Robert Alan Haney;
Pfc William Hixson Hardwick; LCpl Charles
Edward Harris; 1stLt Cleveland Ray Harvey;
LCpl John Harrison Hawley; LCpl Charles Thomas
Heinemeier; LCpl Felipe Herrera, Navy Cross;
Sgt Glen Ray Hicks; LCpl Joseph Arnold Hill;
LCpl Jimmy Ray Holkem; LCpl Ray Earl Hombel;
Sgt Roe Hopson Jr; Pfc Alton House; LCpl Gary
Duane Hudson; Sgt James Edmond Huff; LCpl
Charles Frank Huff; SSgt William Burdick Hughes;
LCpl Donald Gene Jackson; LCpl Chester Jarmolinski
Jr; Pfc Thomas Edward Jennings; Sgt Alan Theodore
Jensen; Sgt Larry Allen Johnson; Pfc Ralph
Henry Johnson, Medal of Honor; 2ndLt Richard
S Johnson Jr; Cpl William D Johnson Jr; LCpl
Clement B Johnston Jr, Navy Cross; LCpl James
Howard Jones; Sgt Joseph John Jones; Cpl Raymond
Stanley Joy; Major Daniel James Keating Jr;
LCpl Ronald Frederick Kitzke; LCpl Jonathan
Peter Kmetyk; 2nd Lt Kenneth Arthur Kubik;
LCpl John Vincent, Kuchta; 2nd Lt Anthony
Edward Kupka; Hm Bruce Stephen La Porte; 2nd
Lt John Hayes Lakin; Hm2 Michael Louis Laporte;
Pfc Roger Minett Lay; SSgt Carl Robert Leed;
Lt Col William Groom Leftwich Jr, Navy Cross;
Hm 3 Earl Roger Lerch; Pfc Durand Garfield
Liggett; Pfc Ervin Lovell; Cpl Joseph Walter
Lyons; Cpl Randall Paul Manela; Pfc Lawrence
Martin; 2nd Lt William Everett Martin; LCpl
Alcadio Norber Mascarenas; Pfc John Arthur
McIntosh; Pfc James Odas McKinney; Pfc Francis
McLaughlin; Capt Lavoy Don McVey; Pfc Rene
Medeguari; Cpl Daniel Lee Mitchell; Cpl Frank
James Montez; LCpl William Charles Moon; LCpl
William Robert Moore; LCpl Jimmy Lee Moore;
Pfc Douglas Ronald Mowbray; Cpl Michael George
Murdock; Pfc Dennis Gerard Murphy; Cpl Patrick
James Murphy; LCpl Harold Earl Musselman;
Pfc Dennis Jerrod Oliver; Cpl Harry Steven
Oneto Jr; Pfc Gary Varner Orsland; LCpl Ronald
Matthew Padilla;
LCpl George Willard Patterson; Pfc Jeffery
Scott Patterson; Hm Henry Ellwood Pearce II;
LCpl Dale
Allen Pennington; Sgt Robert Crain Phleger;
LCpl Charles Alfred Pope; Sgt Gerald Leland
Poppa;
LCpl James Earl Prideaux; LCpl Gary Wayne
Ragsdale; SSgt William George Rash; 1st Lt
Henry Porter Rathmell; LCpl Edward Harold
Rauch; Pfc Ronald Lee Reed; LCpl John Owen
Rhodes; Pfc Harry Lee Riley Jr; LCpl Melvin
Joseph Riley Jr; Cpl Michael Bernard Robinson;
Pfc Timothy Charles Robinson; Pfc Robert Lee
Rogers; LCpl Joseph Michael Romero; SSgt,
Jose Antonio Rosas; Pfc Leonard Dale Rose;
Sgt Robert Charles Rudd; 2nd Lt William G.
Schanck Jr; LCpl Paul Scheckler; Cpl Joseph
William Schuster; Cpl Robert Laurence Shafer;
1st Lt Charles W. Sharman III; Pfc Craig Stephen
Shelton; LCpl Fay Clyde Simmons III; Cpl Edward
Junior Simons; Pfc James Walter Sincere: Pfc
Larry James Sinegal; LCpl Ronald Paul Sisson;
2nd Lt David William Skibbe, Navy Cross; 2nd
Lt John Edward Slater; Pfc Edward Francis
Smith; LCpl Michael Ray Smith; Pfc Scott Gary
Smith; 1st Lt Walter J. Spainhour Jr; Cpl
James Carl Spinuzzi; Sgt Robert French Starbuck;
LCpl Thomas Raymond Steinbach; Pfc John Marvin
Stenberg; Cpl John Frank Stockman; 2nd Lt
Larry George Stone; LCpl Luther Tony Stowe;
Sgt Charles Deveaux Tannehill; Pfc Gilbert
Thibeault; Pfc Larry Edward Thomas; Cpl Jerrald
Rich Thompson; GySgt Vincent Robert Thornburg;
Cpl Gary Dean Tisdall; Cpl Orlando Torres-Oyola;
Cpl Randy Gene Totten; Hm3 Robert Louis Tracy;
LCpl Robert Eugene Tucker; Sgt Dennis Elmer
Ulstad; Pfc James Lee Urnes; Pfc Tony Vale;
Cpl Sherman Dale Vance; Cpl Fernando Villasana;
Sgt Craig Leslie Walton; Pfc Peter Joseph
Weidemier; LCpl Richard Anthony Weil Jr; LCpl
Terry Michael Westergard; LCpl Russell Desmond,Whelchel;
Pfc Theodore Jay Whitlock; Sgt David Joseph
Wikander; Pfc David Hunter Wilkerson; LCpl
Ronald Anthony Williams; Cpl James Ronald
Willis; Pfc Daniel Earl Winters; LCpl Thomas
Duane Worrel; Pvt Craig Martin Yancey; and
Hm Richard WoodrowYates.
IRAQ 2003-2010
1st Lt Travis Joseph Manion; Capt Brent
Lee Morel, Navy Cross; Sgt Jonathan James
Simpson; and
Sgt Nicholas Rudolph Walsh.
American
Heroes: Grunts, Pilots & "Docs",
Books I & II
Michael Dan Kellum
A 2-book series about Marine grunts, Recon,
pilots and aircrews and Navy corpsmen in
Vietnam is soon to be published. These books
are the result of a 21-year project to gather
research material, interview Marines and
Navy Corpsmen and finally the writing. Some
1,019 Marines and 42 Navy Corpsmen are included
in Books I and II. 1st Reconnaissance Battalion,
Vietnam 1969-70, is the main focus of the
Recon stories...included are Lt.Col Bill
Drumright, Lt.Col William Leftwich Jr.,
Cpl. Larry Feldman, Gy Sgt Terry Moore,
SSgt. John Hare, Cpl. Bob Morris, Doc Thurman
Mullins, Doc David Snider, 2nd Lt. Tony
Kupka, 1st Lt. Chip Gregson and many more.
For more information about these books and
some excerpts and photos, go to the author’s
website at: http://www.michaeldankellum.com.
The website also contains the ordering form
and pricing. If you have additional questions
about the books, contact Michael Dan Kellum
at: kdkellum@aol.com
The publisher is Navarro-Hill Publishing
Group, P.O. Box 1088, Longview, TX 75606
.
1ST
RECON BATTTALION ASSOCIATION COMMEMORATIVE
BRICKS
Thirty-nine
commemorative bricks line the pathway
in front of the 1st Reconnaissance
Battalion Memorial;
An additional twenty bricks are on
order and will be placed in the concrete
pad surrounding the memorial. Commemorative
bricks, to honor a reconnaissance
Marine or Corpsman, living or deceased,
may be ordered through the 1st Reconnaissance
Battalion Association with a donation
of $215.00. Each brick inscription
may have three lines; each line is
not more than 20 characters in length
(this includes all letters, punctuation
and spaces); each line must end with
a complete word or name (words and
names will not be hyphenated or continued
on the next line). On the right are
two examples of 1st Recon’s
commemorative bricks:
Send your contact information,
brick inscription and check or money
order to: 1st Recon Battalion Association,
c/o C. Kershaw, 2527 Unicornio Street,
Carlsbad, CA 92009. Call/email Charlie
Kershaw with brick questions at:
760 438-8638 or c2k2@earthlink.net.
MEMORIAL BRICKS
SITREP
1st Reconnaissance Battalion
1st Reconnaissance Battalion, less elements supporting
MEU (SOC) deployments, is again deployed. 1st
Reconnaissance Battalion is currently composed
of A, B, C Companies, 1st Force Company (formerly
D Company) and Headquarters and Service Company.
Raider Report, the battalion’s newsletter,
is available on line at 1st Recon Battalion’s
official website: http://www.i-mef.usmc.mil/DIV/1ReconBn/.
The Raider Report is also posted at our Recon
Assn. web site: http://www.1streconbnassociation.org/1Slow/SlowSiteMap.htm
Link is on the left under "Off Site Links.
1st Recon Battalion’s website is comprehensive
and very informative. To stay informed about the
1st Reconnaissance Battalion, visit their website.
IN MEMORIAM
Warriors mourned by their comrades in arms
Henry Keeler 1st
Reconnaissance Battalion, 1970-71
Peter Koerner
D Company, RVN 1967-68
Jesse Smith
Delta 66/67
Gordon Pueschner 1st Recon
65/67 and 69
New Members
Through the persistence of his team-mates,
Jim Wilker was awarded a Silver Star
for his heroic actions in Vietnam. In
a ceremony preceding the 1st Reconnaissance
Battalion Memorial dedication, Lt Gen
W.C. “Chip” Gregson, USMC
(Ret) presented the Silver Star medal
to Jim Wilker for service as set forth
in the following CITATION:
“For conspicuous gallantry
and intrepidity in action against
the enemy while serving as a member
of the 1st Reconnaissance Company,
1st Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st
Marine Division in the Republic of
Vietnam on 15 July 1968. Corporal
Wilker’s Force Reconnaissance
patrol was ambushed by a superior
enemy force and was awaiting extraction
in the cover of a bomb crater. Without
regard to his own personal safety,
he left the cover of the crater to
retrieve a fallen Marine in close
proximity of the enemy force. After
reentering the crater, an enemy grenade
landed in the middle of his squad.
Corporal Wilker selflessly retrieved
the grenade, throwing it back at the
enemy force resulting in enemy casualties.
Corporal Wilker then volunteered to
be the last Marine extracted and laid
down suppressive fire, killing several
enemy combatants while the rest of
his squad was lifted to safety. Corporal
Wilker’s heroic actions that
were selflessly conducted regardless
of the risk to his own personal safety
saved the lives of his fellow squad
members and allowed the valuable intelligence
his squad had gathered to be reported
to his superiors. By his bold initiative,
undaunted courage, and complete dedication
to duty, Corporal Wilker reflected
great credit upon himself and upheld
the highest traditions of the Marine
Corps and the United States Naval
Service.”
For the President,
Ray Mabus
Secretary of the Navy
Looking For
I have a great friend, Robert "Bob"
Eisenbach, that served with Delta Co 1st Recon
in Vietnam. Was wounded very bad on July 4th
1968 and his life was saved by a corpsman
with the last name of Sailing. He actually
gave his son the middle name of Sailing. He
has tried without success to find this gentleman.
I'm an old beat up retired HM myself that
spent a stent with recon in the 80's and 90's
Is there anyway to try and track this guy
down through your organization??
Thanks
I am looking for any members of RT Grim Reapeor
or those who have information on an incident
involving Grim Reaper in the mountains south
of Da Nang in May 1967. I was with Kilo 3/7
and we were sent to assist Grim Reaper. Unfortunatley,a
few members of Grim Reaper ended up being
killed after we had linked up with them. We
were on our way back down the mountain with
Grim Reaper walking point. They walked into
an ambush ans suffered a couple of KIA's.
I was doing some research on a Recon KIA
list that I found. I found the names of 2
individuals - LCpl. Durand Liggett and SSgt.
Rosas - that were both killed on May 8th in
Qunag Nam. I seemed to recall there was a
Hispanic SNCO that possibly was the team leader;
however, Rosas is listed as a dog handler
and from Force Recon. Liggett is listed as
being from Recon. I asked my sniper partner
who was with me in Kilo 3/7 if that date seemed
right. He has a copy of a letter he wrote
home after we returned from the operation.
The problem is that his letter is date May
17th and he indicates we had just returned.
Something else to add to this whole incident
is that after the ambush we regrouped on the
mountain called for a medivac for the 2 KIA
and another wounded. The first 46 received
incoming .50 cal fire. Fixed wing was called
in. The 46 returned and as it was hovering
(because of the triple canopy, a hoist had
to be used) but was once again shot at. More
fixed wing was called in and then the AF sent
in a Jolly Green. The JG had just hosted up
the WIA and was trying to hoist up the KIA's
when it was shot down on top of us. We ended
up having to hump off the mountain carrying
all of the casualties.
Robert C Holm - 2242045
Gunnery Sergeant
USMC (1966-1975)
Vietnam (1966-1969)
Kilo & Mike 3/7 (1966-1967)
1st CAG -CAP Units:Lima 4*1-3-6*1-3-5*1-3-8
*1-3-2*1-3-9 (1967-1969)
