Robert Elgin Payne
Lance Corporal
K CO, 3RD BN, 9TH MARINES, 3RD MARDIV, III MAF United States Marine Corps Geuda Springs, Kansas August 06, 1943 to May 20, 1967 ROBERT E PAYNE is on the Wall at Panel 20E, Line 66 |
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The picture I sent of HM2 Bruce Manton was taken from a Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division (Kilo 3/9/3) platoon photo that I have. I have all my brother marines' photos done the same way. I served in Kilo 3/9/3. His name is on the Kilo 3/9 honor Roll and is one of my fallen brothers. I had that picture in my "Kilo folder". We, the brothers of kilo, have been sending them to several sites in memory of our brothers. -- Robert Chiominto, LCPL, Kilo Co, March 1967 to April 1968, 09/24/2012 |
From the earliest days of major US involvement in Vietnam the North Vietnamese had taken
free use of the Demilitarized Zone for granted, believing that political considerations would prevent American ground
operations within the DMZ. And they were right for almost two years - until May 1967.
On 20 May, Company K, point for the battalion, made contact with what it initially estimated to be an enemy
platoon deployed in mutually supporting bunkers in a draw in vicinity of grid coordinates YD 104644. The enemy,
now estimated to be at least a company, took Company K under fire. To relieve pressure on Company K, Company L
maneuvered to the flank of the enemy position, but was unable to link up with Company K because of heavy enemy fire.
The enemy had sprung a well concealed ambush, using machine guns, grenades, and 60 mm mortars. Companies K and L
were concentrated on high ground but still on the sides of a draw and receiving intense enemy fire. Air Strikes
were called. Both companies spent the night on opposite sides of the draw with the enemy force between them,
while supporting arms pounded the enemy positions all night.
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