02 Jul 2008 A beautiful man, a wonderful husband for 6 days... I will miss you always, Valerie. From his wife, Valerie Girelli P. O. Box 953, South Dennis, Ma 02660 capegolflady@yahoo.com

 

A Note from The Virtual Wall On 18 December 1965 the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines and 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines were engaged in Operation HARVEST MOON in Quang Nam Province. The 2/7 Marines were moving toward the hamlet of Ky Phu in a battalion column march. At about 1300 both the head and the tail of the column began receiving heavy mortar and automatic weapons fire. The 2/7 Marines deployed and assaulted the enemy, who were well dug in and apparently planned to stay and fight it out. It took the Marines four hours of heavy fighting to eject the 80th VC Battalion from Ky Phu; when the VC withdrew they left 105 bodies and numerous weapons on the battlefield. The 2/7 Marines lost nine men killed in the action, and three more died from wounds received: Fox Company: Cpl Michael C. Halstead, Hoxie, AR (DoW 12/19/1965) Cpl Stephen J. Lukasiewski, Ellington, CT Pfc Fred A. Tryon, Downey, CA Golf Company: Cpl Ronald W. Porter, Antioch, CA LCpl Federico Silva, San Bernardino, CA H&S Company: Cpl Donald D. Karlin, Wichita, KS Cpl William V. Moss, Chappaqua, NY (DoW 12/21/1965) Cpl Joseph E. Nimiroski, Attleboro, MA LCpl Vernon E. Holland, Lexington, KY LCpl Ernest F. Losoya, Salinas, CA (DoW 12/19/1965) LCpl Jack S. Swender, Kansas City, KS Pfc Melvin L. Frontella, Mountain View, CA In addition to these twelve men, H Company, 2/9 Marines had two killed in the fight at Ky Phu: Company Commander Capt Paul L. Gormley of Dracut, MA, and LCpl Robert J. Wilkins of St Charles, MO (Silver Star).

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