1st Recon Battalion Association

1st Recon Battalion Association

Thanks for your service.

Part 29

2024

December 1st Half

1st Reconnaissance Battalion
Missions / Patrol Reports

Are you looking for your Old Patrol Reports? Check out this page on my website:

http://www.weststpaulantiques.com/reconmissions.html

Too close to whisper...
...one click for "yes", two for "no"...
"Brothers of the Bush"

----------------------------
Recon...their name is
their honor...and nothing more
need be said...Recon

Floyd Ruggles

Check Out New Messages/Newsletter

...

All Companies

Photo Gallery

The Memory Remains Not All Wounds Are Visible.

"A Brotherhood Forged In Combat"

1st Reconnaissance Battalion Index

2014

Message Board Links

Part 1 - 2018-2019 

Part 2 - 2019-2020 

Part 3 - 2020 

Part 4 - 2020 

Part 5  - 2020

Past Message Board

Past Newsletters 

Part 1 - 2017-2018 

Part 2 - 2018 

Part 3 - 2018 

Part 4 - 2018-2019 

Past Reunions 

Past Stories 

Send in your photos

Part 6  - 2020

Past Photos Galleries 

Part 7  - 2020

Part 8  - 2020

Bobby Bare

 

 

Photo Gallery

Part 10  - 2021

Click a photo to link to a page on our  website or Facebook. Links are found on nearly all Web pages. Links allow users to click their way from page to page. You will find thousands of links on the 1st recon battalion association website.

In Remembrance of our brother Reconnaissance Marines & Corpsmen killed in action or otherwise while on duty.

Look at it as your Time Capsule. This website won't stand long after we are all gone. 

Daniel M Turpin

1st Recon Battalion Association

Part 11  - 2021

1st Reconnaissance Battalion
Missions / Patrol Reports

Too close to whisper...
...one click for "yes", two for "no"...
"Brothers of the Bush"

----------------------------
Recon...their name is
their honor...and nothing more
need be said...Recon
------------------------

YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN

Bravo Company 1968-1969

Part 12  - 2021

Meet some of our members of our association.

To all Association Members,

Please reply and update or confirm your Information.
Your 1st Recon Battalion Association Website Information
can be found at: 1streconbn.org/members.html

Hope to hear from you soon.
Thanks for all your help.

My email address is floyd@weststpaulantiques.com.
Please keep your information up to date.

This will allow the Association to send messages out from time to time by email or by mail.

Semper Fi,
Floyd Ruggles
Membership Director & Webmaster

1st Recon Battalion Association

New Members to the Association of the Natural Warrior

2023

Part 13  - 2021-2022

Part 14  - 2022

Part 15  - 2022

Part 16  - 2023

Get involved send in your messages, photos, stories share what you think about our website. I will post them on this page.

Get involved send in your messages, photos, stories share what you think about our website. I will post them on this page.

Get involved send in your messages, photos, stories share what you think about our website. I will post them on this page.

Get involved send in your messages, photos, stories share what you think about our website. I will post them on this page.

Get involved send in your messages, photos, stories share what you think about our website. I will post them on this page.

Get involved send in your messages, photos, stories share what you think about our website. I will post them on this page.

Get involved send in your messages, photos, stories share what you think about our website. I will post them on this page.

Get involved send in your messages, photos, stories share what you think about our website. I will post them on this page.

Get involved send in your messages, photos, stories share what you think about our website. I will post them on this page.

Get involved send in your messages, photos, stories share what you think about our website. I will post them on this page.

1st Recon Battalion Association

Message Board will be our newsletter going forward. 

It's ongoing and you can be a part of it, each month through out the year.

1st Recon Battalion Association

Message Board will be our newsletter going forward. 

It's ongoing and you can be a part of it, each month through out the year.

1st Recon Battalion Association

Message Board will be our newsletter going forward. 

It's ongoing and you can be a part of it, each month through out the year.

Click a photo to link to a page on our website. Links are found on nearly all Web pages.
Links allow users to click their way from page to page.

Navigator is at the top of each page.

**WELCOME to FIRST RECON'S WEBSITE** 2009-2023 

Don't be fooled by the warning signs it's a safe website, it's just an old platfrom. Just hit advance, you will enjoy this website, it's my personal website.

1st Recon Battalion Association

Message Board will be our newsletter going forward. 

It's ongoing and you can be a part of it, each month through out the year.

Association Purpose

Our mission is to help locate former Recon Marines and their families, and to recognize those who paid the ultimate price through the 1st Recon Memorial Fund which has established and will help maintain the permanent memorial at the Marine Corps Historical Museum at Camp Quantico Virginia.

Message from webmaster!

December 2024 - 1st Half Newsletter

Part 17  - 2023

Part 18  - 2023

Part 19  - 2023

Part 20  - 2023

Part 21  - 2023

Part 22  - 2024

Member of 1st Recon Battalion Association

1st Recon Bn KIA Vietnam War

..

War Story

.....

Rest in Peace

The Jim Southall Story, Over 200 1st Recon Battalion Marines involved in this story. The story is a work in progress over the next year. Over 100 Patrol Reports.

Some Give It All

Vietnam 1968-1969

Thoughts of that Day

Doug Wolfe's Story

Patrol Report #349-68

98 hours on Charlie Ridge

Index by dates & names

Patrol Report #359-68

This patrol covered a period of 119 hours with contact with an estimated 40 or more VC/NVA that resulted in 8 USMC KIA, 7 USMC WIA on Hill 200 June 3rd, 1968.

Sergeant Jim Southall - Hill 200 1969

Are Message Board is now our new newsletter.

1968

1969

Membership Director & Webmaster

2016-2025

Last night I awoke to the sounds of thunder. I was recalling a small part of a day a long time ago. As if it was yesterday...

Today is a particularly dreary, rainy day. Lookout Mountain is socked in good. It is not unusual for it to be socked in. Hell they fought the Battle Above the Clouds there during the Civil War.

However, today it put me in mind of another dreary, socked in ridge I was on for around 2 hours on 3 June, 1968. Known only to me as Hill 200, it was a desolate, indefensible place that somebody in the 1st Mardiv G3 shop picked off the map to insert my platoon on as an observation post & radio relay.

Stories from Members

Some Give It All

THE DAY THE CRAP WENT UP IN FLAMES
By Gary Graves, HM3

5 Minutes ‘Til Forever

Part 30

Applicants

1st RECONNAISSANCE BATTALION ASSOCIATION

CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS

ARTICLE II – MEMBERSHIP

SECTION 4. DUES. Association members have no mandatory dues. However, Members and Associate Members are encouraged to make donations, annually, to help defray the Association’s operating expenses. An annual donation of $10.00 is suggested.

Semper Fi, Floyd Ruggles

Membership Director & Webmaster

1st Recon Battalion Association

Welcome to our New Members Page

1st Recon Battalion Association

Next Page

Previous Page

For Membership in 1st Recon Battalion Association

All Units
March 1966 - May 1971

This link is to my old website It's a safe website on a old plarform follow instructions to the webpage. 

Part 24  - 2024

Part 25  - 2024

Part 9  - 2020

1st Recon Battalion

Association of the Natural Warrior

December 2024 - 1st Half Newsletter

Part 26  - 2024

Part 27  - 2024

Part 28  - 2024

Click a photo to link to a page on our website. Links are found on nearly all Web pages.Links allow users to click their way from page to page. You will find thousands of links on this website.

Scam Alert

I received this email today. Thought that I would post it and forward it to Charlie. As you read the email you can see that it is a scam and it's not from Charlie so don't fall for a scam email like this.

Scam Email

From: Charlie Kershaw <monchikis@monchikis.com>
To: floyd@weststpaulantiques.com
Date: 10/13/2024 10:05 AM EDT
Subject: 1st Recon Bn Association

Hi Floyd,
Are you available to offer help? I'm currently out of states, but I have perfect trust in you to handle this task for me. The 1st Recon Bn Association electronic gift cards in order to make donations to Veterans in Hospice and Palliative care units for the purchase of COVID-19 prevention items. I'm responsible for the reimbursement upon my return. Do you want more information?
Sincerely,

Charlie Kershaw
President
1st Recon Bn Association

Phishing Email, The email address is the first clue that it's a scam. Email fraud is intentional deception for either personal gain or to damage another individual using email as the vehicle. Almost as soon as email became widely used, it began to be used as a means to defraud people, just as telephony and paper mail were used by previous generations. How To Spot a Dodgy Emails.

MIA/POW

1st Recon Battalion Association is a non-profit organization of former and current members of the 1st Recon Battalion, 1st Marine Division

Thanks for taking the time to stop by our website today.

Your Webmaster

Floyd Ruggles

Coming Soon

Thanks for stopping by today

Part 30  - 2024

Recon in Vietnam 50 Year Anniversary

The 50 Year anniversary of Marine Reconnaissance Units landing in Vietnam will be held in Oceanside, CA from April 21, 2015 to April 24, 2015. This includes all rotary wing units that supported Reconnaissance Missions inserting and extracting them for long range reconnaissance missions deep in enemy infested territory.
Registration and Sponsorship forms can be found on the main page, or use this link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/VNRecon50/files/. You must fill out and mail the registration form to be registered.
Lt Gen Bernard Trainor, USMC (Ret) is the Guest of Honor.
Family members and guests may participate in reunion events.
Donor and Sponsor opportunities, to defray Reunion expenses, will close on 14 February.
Registration for Recon 50 will close on 5 April 2015.
Super Shuttle is offering reunion attendees discounted shuttle service from San Diego Airport to SpringHill Suites. Reservation information and prices will be provided in the February SITREP.
The schedule is located in the files of the main page, or use this link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/VNRecon50/files/

"To all my family and dear friends that I am honored and blessed to have in my life. May this holiday season bring you love to your heart, health to your body, and peace and joy to your home throughout the new year."

Message from Charlie regarding Team Rush Act and our 2025 reunion. We will be having a memorial ceremony.
"Rest in peace. Join your 1st Recon brothers at a Rush Act memorial service in Quantico at the Marine Corps Memorial Park August 2025 (Recon Reunion details to follow next spring)
Semper Fidelis,
Charlie Charles Kershaw"
Here are the details about the reunion from Ralph M. Witkin

We lost Team Rush Act 54 years ago today.
R.I.P. my Brothers!

Marine Reconnaissance Foundation

Recon Gold Star Families

Action not words

This is brotherhood and volunteerism in action. This is Semper Fidelis.
After the MRF requested volunteers in the Memphis TN area or within travelling distance to clean LtCol Leftwich’s gravesite and head stone, we were overwhelmed by offers of support by teammates and supporters.
Simply amazing.
LtCol Leftwich’s headstone was badly in need of cleaning and also straightening as it was at a significant slant.
After a virtual introduction amongst a few separate parties, a coordinated effort of Marines, Sailors and great Americans whom did not know each other came together to get it done.
A hearty thanks to Major John Solter (Marine Raider) and Cpl James “Rock” McGlynn (former Scout Sniper, 1st Bn 8th Marines) for leading this effort and making it happen.
LtCol Leftwich is interred at Forest Hill Cemetary in Memphis, TN.
54 years ago, 1st Recon Bn lost their battalion commander, LtCol William Leftwich, and the Marines of Team Rush Act during a dangerous emergency extraction in Vietnam.
LtCol Leftwich was an extremely well respected commander who personally led every emergency extraction mission in his battalion. The Marine Corps presents the best company commanders in our corps with the Leftwich trophy in his honor.
#honorourfallen #neverforget #alwaysfaithful

LCpl Joseph Arnold Hill

Patrol Report

Panama Hat

May 25th-May 28th, 1968 #344-6

The Jim Southall Story, Over 100 Patrol Reports

Some Give It All

Over 200 and Counting

1st Recon Battalion Marines involved in this story.

The story is a work in progress over the next year.

LARRY E. THOMAS

The patrol was to be inserted on 19 September and extracted three days later on the 22nd. The schedule slipped a day and PARALLEL BARS, consisting of eight men, was inserted at noon on 20 Sep 1969.At 1630 the patrol smelled cooking and heard voices and the sounds of domestic fowl from a knoll. The team leader, Corporal Frank Montez, and three men moved toward the noise while the other members began to encircle the knoll. Montez' group was fired upon by a single NVA/VC and returned fire, killing the enemy soldier. Two other NVA/VC then recovered the dead soldier and withdrew.

Chester Jarmolinski Jr was a lance corporal for the United States Marine Corps during the Vietnam War. He died on April 16, 1969 at the age of 21

Lance Corporal Felipe Herrera

HERRERA, FELIPE Lance Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps Company A, 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division (Rein.) FMF Date of Action: September 20, 1968 Citation: The Navy Cross is presented to Felipe Herrera, Lance Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism while serving with Company A, First Reconnaissance Battalion, First Marine Division (Reinforced), Fleet Marine Force, in connection with operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On the afternoon of 20 September 1968, Corporal Herrera was the machine gunner of a reconnaissance team operating near Thoung Due in Quang Nam Province when he alertly observed a large hostile force maneuvering to attack the Marines. Reacting instantly, he warned his comrades of the approaching enemy, and almost immediately the patrol came under a heavy volume of hostile automatic weapons fire. With complete disregard for his own safety, Corporal Herrera boldly moved from his position and fearlessly assaulted the enemy soldiers to within ten meters of their location, killing six of the attackers and halting their advance. Continuing his determined efforts, he resolutely remained in his dangerously exposed position and delivered intense machine-gun fire against the enemy until he was mortally wounded. His heroic and timely actions inspired all who observed him and were instrumental in enabling his comrades to gain fire superiority and deploy into advantageous defensive positions. By his courage, aggressive fighting spirit, and steadfast devotion to duty, Corporal Herrera upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country. Authority: Navy Department Board of Decorations and Medals Home Town: San Antonio, Texas

Sergeant Larry A. Johnson

Silver Star

Awarded for actions during the Vietnam War

The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Sergeant Larry Allen Johnson (MCSN: 2232731), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving with Company A, First Reconnaissance Battalion, FIRST Marine Division (Rein.), FMF, in connection with combat operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On the afternoon of 20 September 1968, Sergeant Johnson was the Assistant Patrol Leader of a reconnaissance team operating near Thoung Duc in Quang Nam Province when the Marines came under a heavy volume of automatic weapons fire from a large enemy force and sustained several casualties. Reacting instantly, Sergeant Johnson boldly ran across fifteen meters of fire-swept terrain to the side of a wounded radioman where he took the radio and simultaneously administered first aid while he accurately directed air strikes upon the hostile soldiers, which disorganized their attack. Continuing his determined efforts, he skillfully directed helicopters into a landing zone to extract the beleaguered Marines and assisted in evacuating casualties. Alertly observing a fatally wounded Marine, he delayed his own extraction further while he maneuvered across the hazardous area to the casualty. Ignoring the intense enemy fire, he then carried his fallen comrade to a waiting helicopter and, while placing him aboard, Sergeant Johnson was mortally wounded. His heroic actions and sincere concern for the welfare of his comrades were an inspiration to all who observed him and contributed immeasurably to the accomplishment of his unit's mission. By his courage, resolute determination and steadfast devotion to duty, Sergeant Johnson upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.

Corporal Frank Joseph Beltran

Frank was born in Rochester and lived there all of his life.


He attended McQuaid Jesuit High School and graduated from East Rochester High School with the Class of 1967. He was a choir boy at Saint Jerome's Church.


After graduation Frank enlisted in the Marines July 1967, at the Buffalo Recruiting Office.

He was a member of Platoon 2002 at the Parris Island MCRD.


Frank arrived in Vietnam 1 January 1968 and was assigned to Bravo Company, 1st Recon
Battalion, 1st Marine Division, where he was assigned to helicopter patrol reconnaissance.


He died of fragmentation wounds to the head and body from an accidental explosion of a
Claymore Mine at Hill 425, 10 kilometers southeast of Liberty Bridge.


Frank was single and served his country for 1 year and 13 days and was KIA #31,425.


He had been in Vietnam for 7 months and 13 days.


Frank was 20 years and 3 months old. He was buried 26 August 1968.  At Holy Sepulchre Cemetery Rochester, New York.


Survived by his mother; Mary Beltran, 3 sisters; Margaret, Michele and Julie (his twin sister) and 3 brothers; Ralph, Ricardo and Roberto of 110 Garfield St, East Rochester, NY.


His married sisters; Delores Gallo of Ontario and Mary Kay Peck of Livonia.

His father, Roberto Beltran died in 1950.

Silver Star Citation
POSTED ON 4/23/17 - BY A US MARINE, VIETNAM
Thomas D. Worrel
Date of death: Killed in Action
Home of record: Roanoke Indiana
Status: KIA

AWARDS AND CITATIONS

Silver Star

Awarded for actions during the Vietnam War

The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Lance Corporal Thomas D. Worrel (MCSN: 2528075), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as an Assistant Team Leader with Company A, First Reconnaissance Battalion, FIRST Marine Division (Rein.), FMF, in connection with combat operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On the morning of 23 April 1970, Lance Corporal Worrel was providing rear security for his eight-man long-range reconnaissance team during a patrol in the Que Son Mountains in Quang Nam Province when the point element surprised and killed five North Vietnamese Army soldiers. Moving forward, Lance Corporal Worrel provided cover while the hostile soldiers were searched for items of intelligence value. Shortly thereafter, the Marines resumed their mission and had advanced as far as a tree line when they came under intense enemy small arms and automatic weapons fire from three sides. Reacting instantly, the patrol deployed to form a defensive perimeter and commenced returning fire at the hostile force. Upon being informed by an aerial observer on station that another North Vietnamese Army force was moving from the north toward the Marines, Lance Corporal Worrel completely disregarded his own safety as he boldly moved across the fire-swept terrain to a position outside the northern sector of his perimeter, and fearlessly remained in his precarious position to deliver such accurate fire that he killed five of the enemy as they charged the Marines' position. On two successive assaults by the determined enemy, he delivered fire with such devastating effectiveness that the attacks were repulsed. When the increased intensity of hostile fire rendered his position untenable and he commenced to maneuver back to his perimeter, he was mortally wounded by a burst of enemy automatic weapons fire. His valiant actions inspired all who observed him and were instrumental in preventing his patrol from being overrun by a numerically superior North Vietnamese Army force. By his dauntless courage, bold initiative, and unwavering devotion to duty, Lance Corporal Worrel upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.

Action Date: April 23, 1970

Service: Marine Corps

Rank: Lance Corporal

Company: Company A

Battalion: 1st Reconnaissance Battalion

Division: 1st Marine Division (Rein.), FMF

LCpl Gary Paul Bland

Birth: August 18, 1945 Davenport, Iowa (Scott County)
Death: September 22nd, 1965 Tan An Long An, Vietnam

L/Cpl. U.S. Marine Corps, Vietnam War L/Cpl. Bland was killed by sniper fire on 9-22-1965 while serving as a radio operator in South Vietnam with Co. C of the 1st Recon Battalion, 1st Marine Division. LCpl. Bland started his tour of Vietnam in March of 1965.

He is the son of Mr. Harold & Mrs. Neva {Glidden} Bland {d.1962} of Peoria, Illinois, and is a 1963 graduate of Peoria H.S., and was in the Marine Corps on June 11, 1963, and did his training with the 2nd Infantry Training Regiment at Camp Pendleton, California.

Besides his father, he leaves a step-mother, Mrs. Rita Bland, and two sisters, Mrs. William Altis of Monmouth, Illinois, and Mrs. Richard Vandemark of Aurora, Illinois, and one step-sister, Mrs. Donald Ekvall of Creve Coeur, Illinois.

Awards: Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, National Defense Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with One Service Star, Vietnam Campaign Medal.

Family links:
Parents:
Harold Bland (1907 - 1981)
Neva J Glidden Bland (1912 - 1962)

Burial:
Woodhull Cemetery
Woodhull, Illinois USA (Henry County)
GPS (lat/lon): 41.18319, -90.32048

Corporal Michael George Murdock

On July 15, 1974, the Central Identification Laboratory–Thailand (CILT, now DPAA) identified the remains of Corporal Michael George Murdock, missing from the Vietnam War.

Winter is coming

War Story

 
Comments on Incident: 21 June 1969 at 1130 Hours. 22 1/2 miles northwest of Danang, Quang Nam Province, RVN. Crew flying on CH-46D on recon extraction. A/C received small arms fire causing A/C to crash and burn. LCPL W.T. GIBSON, gunner, received contusion to right arm and laceration to right knee, CPL J.E. GAUVIN, gunner, received fractured right "manoible" and dislocation of right shoulder. 1stLT S.W. JORGENSEN, copilot, received laceration to nose. Submitted by John Lane. Source: http://www.popasmoke.com/kia/690621/notforgotten.html Comments on Incident: This is the report I wrote to my company about the shooting down on 21 June, 1969 of the airplane of HMM-165, flown by 1st Lt. William "Lee" Peters, who was killed. The Gunner [crew chief] LCpl Paul Petroline was also killed. At approximately 1045 on 21June 1969, BuNo 154811 was attempting to insert a recon team at position ZC033864. The attempt was abandoned because of enemy opposition, and the aircraft was moving away when the gunner heard a loud explosion from the controls closet area. The co-pilot thinks that they lost boost presure. (the co-pilot is still in a state of shock from the accident and does not clearly remember what happened. It is suspected that the aircraft as hit in the controls closet area by a Rocket Propelled Grenade [RPG]. The aircraft then went out of control and crashed." "The pilot, crew chief, and six (6) members of the recon team were killed, and the co-pilot, the two (2) gunners, and the remaining two(2) members of the recon team were injured. The aircraft burned and is considered a strike." "The aircraft is in very unfriendly territory and examination of the wreckage has not been possible. It is unlikely the the risk of sending a team in to examine the wreckage will be taken so that definite confirmation of the suspected happenings is also unlikely. Submitted by John Dullighan, Boeing Tech Rep, CH-46D, HMM-165. NAVY CROSS CITATION - W.L. Peters - from a previous mission: For extraordinary heroism while serving as a Pilot with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 165 in the Republic of Vietnam on 12 April 1969. First Lieutenant Peters launched as Wingman in a section of two CH-46 transport helicopters assigned to helilift a reconnaissance team into hostile territory. After arriving over the designated location, the lead aircraft inserted the Marines without incident but, while lifting off, the aircraft came under a heavy volume of small arms and automatic weapons fire and sustained extensive damage. Observing that the reconnaissance team was pinned down where it had disembarked and that the Marines were surrounded by a numerically superior hostile force, First Lieutenant Peters circled the area while helicopter gunships and fixed wing aircraft bombed and strafed the enemy soldiers who clung tenaciously to their positions only 20 feet from the beleaguered unit. When the supporting aircraft had expended its ordnance, First Lieutenant Peters, fully aware of the possible consequences of his actions but concerned only with the welfare of the men on the ground, fearlessly elected to attempt the extraction and, as he approached the landing zone, became the target for intense automatic weapons fire. Although numerous rounds penetrated his helicopter, he landed in the fire-swept area and, with calm presence of mind, resolutely maintained his dangerously exposed position, despite a fanatical assault by two North Vietnamese Army soldiers who were killed by the reconnaissance team. Assuring that the ground unit was safely aboard, he then quickly lifted from the zone under an increasingly intense volume of fire from the frustrated enemy which damaged a vital control section of his helicopter. In a brilliant display of superb airmanship and unwavering devotion to duty, First Lieutenant Peters saved his fellow Marines from serious injury or possible death and thereby upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service. Source: http://www.popasmoke.com/kia/690621/notforgotten.html

This record was last updated on 05/20/2000

Frank Joseph Bosco

Birth: Feb. 3, 1950 Providence, Rhode Island, USA
Death: Jun. 21, 1969 Quang Nam, Vietnam

Frank the son of Carl Bosco and Amelia D. Bosco of Providence Rhode Island enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps on April 19 1968 in Providence RI. He arrived in Vietnam on October 2 where he was assigned to and served with Company D, 1st Recon Battalion, 1st MARDIV (Rein) FMF.

On June 21, a CH-46D from HMM-165 was attempting an insertion of a Recon team on the north bank of the Karum Haran River 3 kilometers inside the Nam Hoa District border and Thuong Duc District in Quang Nam Province when it was hit by enemy ground fire. The aircraft pitched, rolled and crashed killing six members of the recon team and two crew. One of the casualties was LCpl Frank Bosco who was killed from the injuries he sustained in the crash due to the hostile enemy fire.

Casualties that day from

HMM 165 MAG-16:

William Lee Peters Jr.
Paul Edward Petroline

Delta Company 1st Recon Bn

Frank Joseph Bosco
Arthur Coby Councill III
Robert Lincoln Crites
James Oscar Hall Jr.
William Garrett Schanck Jr.
Richard Anthony Weil

Team Mayfly

More Info Coming Soon

Had to share the Lady. She was off Danang for about six months late 68 early 69. 1stReconBn had a lot of fire missions with her and many of the rounds passed directly over Camp Reasoner. Remember the target butts? Change 7.62 to 16" 2,200 lb HE. Thunderclap. I thought of Thor throwing his hammer. OohRah

USS New Jersey BB-62 off the coast in Vietnam before conducting shore bombardment, 1968.

Rip Bro
We are still tight
SF Doc

Eric Schwartz

Bick Alberto DeMeo

Ronald Overton

John Howland

David and Shan Backer

9 years ago….hahaha. Wish we still looked this way

Both still looking good and happy.

Michael Willis

But David, you look younger

Dave

Doc Snider

& his beautiful wife

Carole

C-130 Rolling down the strip!

Great jump out the rear door. Benning. 1969

Medal Ceremony at Camp Reasoner. Cpl. Thompson, Cpl. Jim Southall, Sgt Dave Lopez (all Bravo Deuce)

1968

1968

1968

Happy 249th Marines! Shout out to my CMR team. DaNang 1969. Warriors all!

The Patrol Vehicle Air Cushion (PACV) was a hovercraft used by the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War.

Royal Navy Veterans Reception with Colonel Barney Barnum, MOH USMC Vietnam. June 4, 2024. It was an honor, sir.

2024 Portsmouth, England, UK.

Navajo Code Talker John Kinsel, Sr. dies at 107

Updated on: October 23, 2024 / 8:17 PM EDT / CBS/AP John Kinsel Sr., one of the last remaining Navajo Code Talkers who transmitted messages during World War II based on the tribe's native language, has died. He was 107. Navajo Nation officials in Window Rock announced Kinsel's death on Saturday.

"He lived a very long, full and accomplished life," he said.

Tet '68

M113 Armored Personnel Carriers in the Vietnam Jungle

Gary Graves

Meet some of our members of our association. Click a Photo

Patrol Report
Blue Spruce

May 27th-31st, 1968 #349-68 

Patrol Report
Cayenne

June 3rd, 1968 #359-68 

Patrol Report
Lucky Lark

December 22nd-26th, 1967 #692-67 

Patrol Report
Grim Reaper

December 27th, 1967 #701-67 

More Patrol Report

Coming in our next news letter

More Patrol Report 

Coming in our next news letter

Enjoy the holiday season.

May your days be merry and bright.

Wishing you a new year full of peace and joy.

Hope your holiday is filled with cheer! May the holidays bring peace, love, and joy to your family this season.

Best Christmas Songs of All TimeTop 50 

2024 & 2025

Marine Corps Battles: Hue City

 1st Recon Association Chaplain

Corporal Murdock entered the U.S. Marine Corps from Washington and was a member of Company B, 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division. On February 1, 1968, he was a member of a reconnaissance team aboard a CH-46A Sea Knight being inserted into central Vietnam when the helicopter was hit by enemy fire and crashed west of Da Nang, killing Cpl Murdock. All other crew members and passengers aboard the aircraft survived the crash; however, they were not able to recover Cpl Murdock's remains from the downed aircraft when they left the crash site. In 1974, the North Vietnamese government returned as set of remains to U.S. custody, and analysts were able to identify them as those of Cpl Murdock.

Flying Medevac During the Battle for Hue: Tet Offensive January-February 1968

Clarence Cooper served in South Vietnam from January 1968 through January 1969. During the Tet Offensive of 1968, he flew about 40 medevac missions in and out of Hue City as a helicopter pilot for the Army Medical Service Corps (498th Medical Company/Dust Off). Mr. Cooper shares memories of his year of service in Vietnam. Posted as part of the "War & Life: Discussions with Veterans" project. https://warandlifediscussions.weebly.... Any veteran who served in any combat zone in any capacity is invited to contact pjones@jbu.edu / (479) 524-7488

"What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness." "Let us love winter, for it is the spring of genius." "The color of springtime is in the flowers, the color of winter is in the imagination." "One kind word can warm three winter months."

Association of the Natural Warrior

Association of the Natural Warrior

Winter Training