Robert Walter SmithSergeant1ST PLT, A CO, 4TH BN, 21ST INFANTRY, 11 INF BDE Army of the United States 27 April 1947 - 20 January 1969 Lake Cormorant, Mississippi Panel 34W Line 045 |
 
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The database page for Robert Walter Smith
REMEMBEREDby his Platoon LeaderEdward W. Marrs nedmarrs@aol.com |
A Note from The Virtual WallThe 20 January 1969 operations summary sent by the III MAF Combat Operations Center contains the following entry:"201045H [10:45 am, 20 Jan]: A and B [Companies] 4/21st Infantry in attempts to make contact with the NVA battalion reported in the area 11 kilometers north of Quang Ngai City received heavy small arms and automatic weapons fire from an unknown size enemy force in and around a village. The infantrymen cordoned the village and employed organic weapons. The contact continued until 1500H [3:00 pm] with the enemy still using S/A, mortars, and RPG fire. Shortly after, the infantry dropped back and called artillery and air strikes with C Company arriving to supplement the cordon just before dark. Illumination and artillery fire was kept up all night and a sweep scheduled for first light. 3 NVA are known killed with 2 US KIA and 16 WIA (evacuated)."Subsequent reports advise that the enemy force "is well entrenched in the village and is not inclined to sneak away." Additional forces were deployed around the village and by nightfall on 23 Jan there were 26 known enemy dead with two US infantrymen killed and 26 wounded and evacuated. At about noon on 24 Jan the 4/21st infantrymen entered the village proper, receiving only sporadic fire. Further sweeps around the village on 25 Jan uncovered additional NVA dead, while US casualties were limited to a single wounded soldier. At sundown on 25 Jan the toll stood at 46 NVA and 2 US dead, with 28 US wounded severely enough to require evacuation. The two US dead, both from the initial 20 January contact, were
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With all respect
Jim Schueckler, former CW2, US Army
Ken Davis, Commander, United States Navy (Ret)
Memorial first published on 15 May 2001
Last updated 08/10/2009