20 Nov 2001 Paul and I went thru boot camp and infantry training together before being sent to South Vietnam where we were separated into different outfits. Paul and I were good friends and he was an excellent Marine. I would like to extend my deepest sympathy to his family. A memorial from a Marine buddy, Robert E. Chatigny 1816 Pamela Lane, Weatherford, Ok 73096 chatig9@aol.com

 

05 Apr 2004 "For Those Who Fought For It, Freedom Has A Taste The Protected Will Never Know" God Bless From someone who was there, Herbert T. Casey Sr. caseyh@dnr.state.wi.us

 

10 Nov 2006 On this Veterans' Day I salute Mr. Graff and all servicemen. Niles "Nick" Strew was another 1/3 Marine with Bravo Company. Nick's father Lester Strew served in WWII and Korea. Lester was a Japanese POW. Can someone put me in contact with Nick, so I can learn more about Lester's WWII POW experience? From a collector of letters and diaries, Marc Smilen marcus-stevo@webtv.net

 

A Note from The Virtual Wall On 25 May 1969 Bravo Company, 1/3 Marines, was holding a defensive position about 5 kilometers southwest of Cam Lo (in Quang Tri Province just south of the DMZ). The position had received enemy 82mm mortar fire during the morning hours, apparently without harm, but the company's luck changed in the afternoon. The Command Chronology reports that "At 251745H, at Bravo Company position vicinity YD055684, the NVA firing 82mm mortars ... dropped one round into the increments pit of the 81mm mortars, setting them on fire, fire spread to the 81mm ammo in the ammo pits, this started the 81mm ammo going off, and the fire spread to a pallet of 81mm ammo near the position, causing it to explode. People trying to put out the fire before the explosion got too close, Bravo suffered 8 KIA, 29 WIA, and 2 MIA. Rounds continued to cook off, making it impossible that night to get every one of the KIA or WIA out. Company forced to move off hill by continuous explosions." On the morning of the 26th the Marines regrouped, reoccupied the position, and recovered additional bodies, increasing the casualty count to 12 dead. No identifiable remains were recovered for two Marines known to be present, and a week later one of the wounded died of his injuries. The fifteen men were 1stLt John W. Abbott, Hammond, IN, Bravo 1/3 2ndLt Timothy M. O'Neill, St Louis, MO, Bravo 1/3 Cpl Gary D. Carter, Tyler, TX, Bravo 1/3 Cpl Daniel L. Pucci, Berea, OH, Bravo 1/3 (DoW 06/02/1969) Cpl Jan Rauschkolb, Denver, CO, H&S 1/3 Cpl William F. Skaggs, St Paul, MN, Bravo 1/3 LCpl Paul A. Graff, Sunnyvale, CA, H&S 1/3 LCpl Michael A. Powell, Atlanta, GA, H&S 1/3 LCpl John Winters, Clark, NJ, Bravo 1/3 Pfc Jimmy K. Church, Columbus, OH, Bravo 1/3 Pfc Keith A. Kahlstorf, Britt, IA, Bravo 1/3 Pfc Edward T. O'Donovan, Chicago, IL, Bravo 1/3 Pfc Jim J. Walters, Sioux City, IA, Bravo 1/3 Pfc Leroy C. Williams, Jacksonville, FL, Bravo 1/3 (Body not recovered) Pvt Monek Weitz, Roxbury, MA, A Btry, 1/12 Marines (Body not recovered) Private Weitz was a member of an artillery Forward Observer team attached to Bravo 1/3.

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