A Note from The Virtual Wall During the period immediately prior to the Cambodian incursion, United States and Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) units conducted extensive operations along the South Viet Nam/Cambodian border. During March and April of 1970 the 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment of the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) opened and closed seven fire bases to support these operations. Fire Support Base Illingworth, located on Route LTL-20 about 35 kilometers northwest of Tay Ninh City, opened on 17 March, and was assaulted by a battalion of the 272nd NVA Regiment in the early morning hours of 01 April 1970. The Base was closed on 04 April by the 5th Battalion, 7th Cavalry, as the focus of US operations shifted. When the Fire Base closed, a total of 16 howitzers moved to FSB Wood (4 x 8 inch and 12 x 105mm howitzers from 4 different units) which was a large concentration of artillery weapons for a relatively small Fire Support Base. While the assault on FSB Illingworth cost the North Vietnamese nearly two hundred dead, the Americans paid a high price too. US losses were 25 known dead and 54 wounded in action. The United States soldiers killed in action were A Troop, 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment (ACR) SGT Kenneth Ray Hodge, Johnson City, TN CPL John Lee Smith, Millbrook, AL A Battery, 2nd Battalion, 32nd Artillery SP4 David H. Lassen, Clarence, NY SP4 Terry L. Schell, Chicago, IL Headquarters and Headquarters Battery (HHB), 2nd Battalion, 32nd Artillery SSG Lawrence E. Sutton, Portland, OR (Bronze Star "V") B Battery, 1st Battalion, 77th Artillery PFC Thomas R. Bowen, Forestville, CA 1LT Cleaveland F. Bridgman, South Dartmouth, MA (Silver Star) SSG Benjamin V. Childress, Knoxville, TN SGT Syriac Hebert, Pine Bluff, AR SGT Robert H. Lane, Concord, TN Headquarters and Headquarters Battery (HHB), 1st Battalion, 77th Artillery SP4 Thomas J. Murphy, River Falls, WI SSG Steven J. Williams, Portland, OR A Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry CPL Billy P. Carlisle, Pelahatchie, MS (Silver Star) C Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry CPL Leroy J. Fasching, Wibaux, MT SGT Robert A. Hill, Lowell, OH PFC Roger J. McInerny, Richfield, MN CPL Michael R. Patterson, Dearborn, MI (Silver Star) SGT Gerald W. Purdon, Cincinnati, OH (Silver Star) CPL Klaus D. Schlieben, Richmond, VA E Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry CPL Bobby L. Barker, Harvey, IL CPL Nathan J. Mann, Warsaw, MO SGT Brent A. Street, Inglewood, CA (Dist Svc Cross) SGT Casey O. Waller, Cumberland, VA (Dist Svc Cross) Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC), 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry SGT David G. Dragosavac, Meadville, PA SGT Sidney E. Plattenburger, Charlotte, NC

Corporal Michael Richard Patterson is buried in Michigan Memorial Park Cemetery, Flat Rock, Wayne County Michigan. Flat Rock is located south of Detroit. At the time of his death, Michael was survived by his wife Jean, New Boston MI and his mother Elaine, California.

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