19 Jan 2006 On 5/19/67 Grantham was killed in action when his squad was ambushed by North Vietnamese forces during Operation HICKORY. I remember that a few days before this ambush he had shown us a picture of his baby daughter. He was a good Marine and a good person. I think of him every day. SEMPER FI From a friend and former squad member Pete Rivera privera67@aol.com

 

A Note from The Virtual Wall On 18 May 1967 the Marines began Operation HICKORY with the intention of removing enemy forces and installations from the southern half of the DMZ. This was the first time the Marines had ventured into the DMZ in force. The attack was supported by a massive Navy-Marine-Air Force effort, the landing of SLF Alpha, and a parallel sweep by the 1st ARVN Division. HICKORY lasted through 29 May and resulted in both the loss of 129 Americans and the utter destruction of many North Vietnamese Army installations within the eastern part of the Demilitarized Zone. Extremely heavy casualties were inflicted on the NVA 326B Division, which held the ground and defended the area with vigor. No effort was made to hold the areas of the DMZ which had been cleared of NVA - political pressures precluded an American presence in the DMZ (apparently an NVA presence was acceptable) - and the rebuilt 362B Division eventually returned to the area. On 19 May, Hotel Company 2/9 Marines, lost 9 men: Cpl Richard K. Gillingham, Valatie, NY (Navy Cross) Cpl Wayne C. Harmon, Downey, CA HM3 Phillip M. Hines, Dodge City, KS (H&S with Hotel 2/9) LCpl Harold D. Shelton, Baltimore, MD Pfc Robert J. Brady, Elizabeth, NJ Pfc William J. Corbin, Joppa, MD Pfc Joseph M. Grantham, Goldsboro, NC Pfc Gregory P. Moser, Edmonds, WA Pfc Alan T. Read, Bloomington, IN (Bronze Star "V")

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