Sanford Kim Archer

The database page for Sanford Kim Archer

18 Jun 2007 I don't know this man well. I searched on www.no-quarter which purports to list all casualties, and was looking for all Marine casualties from Montana, as I joined with the "Montana" platoon of 1966, all of us flying to San Diego on the same day from Helena, after a big send-off by the Governor and a bit of a party the night before, put on by the U.S. Marine Corps for publicity, where a captain began to introduce us to the yelling that was soon to intensify. I know him as the man who "sounded off" early in the role call as he was an "Archer", and only otherwise that he was a good kid and a nice guy. Somebody probably still misses him. I hope so, I did when I saw his name there. Rest Well, Archer. It isn't much down here, still the same old stuff, wars, famine and destruction. Semper Fi. From a friend. gdhowe58@gmail.com

23 June 2007 Melrose Marine badly wounded - Lance Cpl Stanford K. Archer of Melrose is in critical condition in a Da Nang hospital after receiving shrapnel wounds in his kidneys from hostile mortar fire 1 Feb (1968) according to a Marine telegram received Sunday by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Wilbert Archer, Melrose. The telegram said Cpl. Archer and his unit, the 1st Bn, 5th Regiment, 1st Marine Division, were in defensive positions when the mortar attack came. A later telegram said the youth had developed difficulty in breathing at the station hospital. Cpl Archer, who enlisted with the 1st Montana Platoon in June 1966, was sent to Vietnam last September (1967). He encountered a Viet Cong sniper face-to-face recently. The episode was described in an article in the Montana Standard (Jan 23 1968). Montana Standard, Butte MT, 6 Feb 1968 Melrose Marine Dies of Wounds (AP) - The Defense Department said Thursday that Marine Lance Cpl. Stanford K. Archer, Melrose, has died of wounds he received in the Vietnam War. Archer, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Wilbert A. Archer, Melrose, was wounded by mortar fire in fighting south of the demilitarized zone near Thua Thien, the department said. He died in a Da Nang hospital. Archer was the 82nd Montanan to die in the war. He entered the Marine Corps in June 1966, and was a member of the 1st Battalion, Fifth Regiment, 1st Marines. Missoulian, Missoula MT, 10 Feb 1968 Text courtesy of Darilee Bodnar bookstorelady@facesfromthewall.com

A Note from The Virtual Wall By happenstance, the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines was in position to be immediately involved in the fighting south of Hue City during the VC's 1968 Tet Offensive. On 01 Feb the battalion had 16 men killed in a number of separate actions near Phu Loc, and a 17th died of wounds received that day. They were A Company 1/5: Pfc Charles H. Cook, New Haven, MO Pfc Edward E. Long, Mansfield, OH B Company 1/5: 2ndLt James T. Bergen, Austin, TX Cpl Pedro A. Hernandez, Los Nietos, CA Cpl Curtis D. Snitker, Cedar Rapids, IA Pfc Francis G. Henry, Rolling Hills, CA Pfc Jackie L. Melton, Winter Haven, FL Pfc William F. Witek, Chicago, IL H&S Company 1/5: 1stLt Henry H. Persons, Fort Wayne, IN (Silver Star) 1stLt William A. Thornton, Lawndale, CA LCpl Sanford K. Archer, Melrose, MT (DoW 02/07/1968) LCpl Willie J. Barnes, Chicago, IL HN Michael W. Haskins, Ventura, CA Pfc Michael Y. Keeter, Gastonia, NC Pfc William E. Leamon, Davenport, IA Pfc James J. Petrey, Modena, PA Pfc Ralph L. Thompson, Wilmington, DE

The point-of-contact for this memorial is a friend. gdhowe58@gmail.com

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With all respect
Jim Schueckler, former CW2, US Army
Ken Davis, Commander, United States Navy (Ret)
Memorial first published on 18 Jun 2007
Last updated 06/24/2007