03 Jun 2007 Lewis McDermott was my Dad. He was career Army and had been stationed in Korea, Panama and as an instructor at the Missouri Military Academy. He did have a chance to go to Germany instead of Vietnam but felt Vietnam is where he belonged and could do the most good. I remembered these things with a memory of a ten-year old, mostly he was my Dad. I have never forgotten him and never will. From his son, Patrick McDermott fatpatmac@sbcglobal.net

 

A Note from The Virtual Wall E Company, 52nd Infantry was the 1st Cavalry Division's Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol company. On 06 Dec 1967, two men from the Company were killed by an "explosive device" while on patrol - MSG Lewis E. McDermott of Fulton, Missouri, and SGT David T. Dickinson of Denver, Colorado. At the same time and a few miles distant, an infantry platoon from "A" Troop, 1/9 Cav, was sent to investigate a radio antenna sticking out of a hut near the village of Dai Dong (2), about 12 miles from Qui Nhon. As the infantrymen approaching the village, the platoon came under intense automatic and small arms fire and was pinned down. The Weapons Platoon of the 1/9 was sent in to help and they also were pinned down and unable to move. The two platoons had stumbled on a large element of the 22nd NVA Regiment and were in considerable danger of being overrun and destroyed. Additional troops from 1/9 Cavalry, 1/8 Cavalry, and 1/50 Infantry were inserted in order to extricate the two endangered platoons. Although the combined force encountered stiff resistance the 1/50's armored personnel carriers provided the necessary edge and the 1/9 platoons were extracted by 2100. These two engagements were the beginnings of the Battle of Tam Quan, a running battle which continued until 20 December and which resulted in the destruction of the 22nd NVA Regiment as a fighting force - but which also cost the lives of 37 Americans and an unknown number of ARVN troops. The 6 men killed on 06 Dec 1967 were E Co (LRRP), 52nd Infantry MSG Lewis E. McDermott, Fulton, MO SGT David T. Dickinson, Denver, CO (Bronze Star "V") B Co, 1st Bn, 8th Cavalry 2LT Walter R. Boettcher, Concord, CA CPL Frank Brackett, Decatur, IL 1st Sqdn, 9th Cavalry CPL Norman P. Williams, Maddock, ND, A Troop 1LT Vincent V. Hauser, San Diego, CA, D Troop

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