24 Dec 2005 Shelton was an M-60 machine gunner. During Operation Hickory on May 19th 1967 his squad was ambushed just north of Con Thien. His gun team was taken out almost immediately by dug-in North Vietnamese forces. Pete Rivera privera67@aol.com

 

A Note from The Virtual Wall On 18 May 1967 the Marines began Operation HICKORY with the intention of removing enemy forces and installations from the southern half of the DMZ. This was the first time the Marines had ventured into the DMZ in force. The attack was supported by a massive Navy-Marine-Air Force effort, the landing of SLF Alpha, and a parallel sweep by the 1st ARVN Division. HICKORY lasted through 29 May and resulted in both the loss of 129 Americans and the utter destruction of many North Vietnamese Army installations within the eastern part of the Demilitarized Zone. Extremely heavy casualties were inflicted on the NVA 326B Division, which held the ground and defended the area with vigor. No effort was made to hold the areas of the DMZ which had been cleared of NVA - political pressures precluded an American presence in the DMZ (apparently an NVA presence was acceptable) - and the rebuilt 362B Division eventually returned to the area. On 19 May, Hotel Company 2/9 Marines, lost 8 men: Cpl Richard K. Gillingham, Valatie, NY (Navy Cross) Cpl Wayne C. Harmon, Downey, CA LCpl Harold D. Shelton, Baltimore, MD Pfc Robert J. Brady, Elizabeth, NJ Pfc William J. Corbin, Joppa, MD Pfc Joseph M. Grantham, Goldsboro, NC Pfc Gregory P. Moser, Edmonds, WA Pfc Alan T. Read, Bloomington, IN (Bronze Star "V")

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