CPL PRENTICE J BENNETT

 

08 Mar 2008 It will be forty years since I last saw Prentice J. Bennett (Ben). He died to my right side on July 17, 1968 while we were on a sweep. Our conversations abut home kept us going. We shared stories every chance we could and in our minds we were back home as we described the events. It took me 25 years to write a book titled "Childhood Lost: A Marine's Experience in Vietnam" (by Willie Zavala Jr.) and the inspiration came from remembering Ben and others who were such an integral part in my life. I have had a successful career in the education field and I attribute that to Ben and others whose sacrifice only motivated me and kept me in the right direction. From a friend in Vietnam, Guillermo (Willie) Zavala Jr. 8906 Prairie Hill, San Antonio, Texas, 78211 willie_zavala@hotmail.com

 

A Note from The Virtual Wall On 17 July 1968 the 9th Marines began a regimental search and destroy mission just south of the DMZ. The 1st Bn, 9th Marines was put in a blocking position 5 kilometers south-southwest of Con Thien (Hill 158) and were in position by 1115, 17 Jul. Both Alpha and Bravo Companies received mortar fire; Bravo had 5 men killed and between them the two companies had 20 men wounded severely enough for evacuation. One of Bravo's wounded died on 21 July. A mortarman wounded on the 17th died the following day; it's not known if he was with Alpha or Bravo when wounded. The seven Marines were D Btry, 2nd Bn, 12th Marines 2ndLt William F. Reilly, Cheverly, MD (Arty F/O with Bravo 1/9) B Co, 1st Bn, 9th Marines Cpl Prentice J. Bennett, Hohenwald, TN Cpl William B. Weathers, Akron, OH LCpl Robert D. Hazlett, Indianapolis, IN LCpl Gary D. Tice, Santa Clara, CA Pfc Roy J. Rector, Whiteface, TX (DoW 08/21/1968) H&S Co, 1st Bn, 9th Marines LCpl John E. Sweeney, East Poultney, VT (DoW 07/18/1968)

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