Dennis Keith Eaker

Lance Corporal
A CO, 1ST BN, 26TH MARINES, 3RD MARDIV
United States Marine Corps
08 November 1946 - 17 September 1966
Duboistown, Pennsylvania
Panel 10E Line 105

3RD MARDIV

26TH MARINES
Purple Heart, National Defense, Vietnam Service, Vietnam Campaign

The database page for Dennis Keith Eaker

09 Jun 1998

So long, I love you, my brother, see you soon.

Margaret
mfox395283@aol.com

08 Jun 2006

Dennis, I only knew you as a young boy growing up. I did not know you as a young man, which is my mistake.

As your brother serving in the United States Air Force in Southest Asia, I flew several times in B-52's over the area where you were killed ... it always brought me to tears.

The day will come when I will join you as a brother and as comrades in arms.

With much love, I am, your brother,
Donald W. Eaker
Captain, USAF, Retired
deaker@cfl.rr.com

A Note from The Virtual Wall

During the summer of 1966 the North Vietnamese Army's 324B Division had infiltrated south of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) with the clear intention of setting up a major presence in northern Quang Tri Province. The NVA 341st Division was positioned within and north of the DMZ and prepared to support the 324B Division and/or exploit opportunities arising from the 324B's operations.

CG 3rd MAF, the senior US commander in northern South Vietnam, initiated Operation HASTINGS aimed at discouraging the 324B Division and forcing it back into the DMZ (at the time, US forces could not enter into the DMZ - it was an NVA sanctuary). Heavy fighting continued through July 1966, particularly around the "Rockpile" between Khe Sanh and Camp Carroll. HASTINGS ended, and a series of recon-in-force operations - termed Operation PRAIRIE - began on 03 August 1966.

Operation DECKHOUSE IV was conducted by the 7th Fleet's Special Landing Force Bravo (Battalion Landing Team 1/26) as an adjunct to Operation PRAIRIE. BLT 1/26's area was about 8 miles northeast of Dong Ha, and the operation began with an amphibious landing and a heliborne landing some six miles inland west of Highway 1. At about 1330 15 Sep 1966, a recon team made contact with an NVA company. That contact was the first in what became ten days of heavy fighting for BLT 1/26's Marines and sailors. Although DECKHOUSE IV officially ended on the 18th, BLT 1/26 stayed in support of PRAIRIE until the 25th. The operation claimed at least 200 NVA killed at a cost of 37 Marines and sailors killed in action and another 167 wounded. The dead were

  • A Co, 5th Recon Bn:
  • A Co, 5th Tank Bn:
    • LCpl Estill L. Childers, Slater, MO

  • W Btry, 3rd Bn, 12th Marines:
    • Pfc Charles E. Stokes, Santa Ana, CA

  • A Co, 1st Bn, 26th Marines:
    • 1stLt Glenn E. Insprucker, Glendale, CA
    • LCpl Dennis K. Eaker, Duboistown, PA
    • Pfc Richard S. Bates, Nutley, NJ
    • Pfc Nicholson Brown, Washington, DC
    • Pfc Sherman L. Ivey, Cleveland, OH
    • Pfc Ronald Mc Cracken, Elmsford, NY
    • Pfc Edward Ramos, Clyde, TX

  • B Co, 1st Bn, 26th Marines:
  • C Co, 1st Bn, 26th Marines:
    • LCpl Jack E. Crouch, Mount Vernon, IL (Silver Star)
    • LCpl Carlton Griffin, Putney, GA
    • LCpl James L. Pettiford, Clairton, PA
    • Pfc Garry D. Davis, Elizabethtown, IL
    • Pfc Joseph A. Friel, West Roxbury, MA (Silver Star)
    • Pfc John H. Fulcher, Arlington, VA
    • Pvt Thomas J. Kane, Dorchester, MA

  • D Co, 1st Bn, 26th Marines:
    • 1stLt Gerald D. Geoghegan, Verona, NJ
    • Cpl Stephen P. Miller, Philadelphia, PA
    • LCpl Micky J. Johns, Levittown, NY
    • Pfc Bruce B. Backeberg, Helena, MT (Silver Star)
    • Pfc David R. Beattie, Neptune, NJ
    • Pfc Elmer L. Boatman, Wayland, MO
    • Pfc Ronald C. Dexter, Milbank, SD
    • Pfc Herschel P. Helm, Coffeeville, MS
    • Pfc Thomas C. Jonozzo, Bedford, OH
    • Pfc Danny R. Rundle, Whittier, CA
    • Pfc Florentino J. Santana, Elgin, IL

  • H&S Co, 1st Bn, 26th Marines:
    • 1stLt Dennis D. Bradley, Marysville, WA
    • Sgt John F. Sewell, Severn, MD
    • HM3 John O. Oquendo, Campbell, OH


The point-of-contact for this memorial is
his sister,
Margaret
mfox395283@aol.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 09 Jun 1998
Last updated 06/30/2006