3 Nov 2004 Friends of Mitchell remember him and honor his sacrifice. In troubled times and with integrity and purpose, Mitchell followed his fellow Marines in a noble cause. We who remain are challenged to do likewise. Our paths may part, our ideals may differ, but our unity is found in common good. May a loving God grant his peace to all who remain and all who remember Mitchell Silvers. From a friend. E-mail address is not available.

 

A Note from The Virtual Wall A Marine Battalion Landing Team consists of an infantry battalion reinforced with helicopter, armor, artillery, engineer, and other supporting units and is housed afloat in Navy amphibious assault ships. In Vietnam the two BLTs functioned as self-contained rapid reinforcement forces and were commonly used ashore for extended periods of time. In January 1968 one of the two BLTs was BLT 3/1, built around the 3rd Bn, 1st Marines. In mid-January the 803rd NVA Regiment had moved into the coastal area north of the Cua Viet River with the mission of disrupting the Navy's ability to use the river to support Allied forces operating further inland. The 803rd's 3rd Battalion had established company-sized fortifications in a number of hamlets along the river's northern bank. BLT 3/1 was given the mission of securing the north bank of the Cua Viet and was landed at the mouth of the Cua Viet with orders to clear the north bank for a distance of five miles inland. The area involved was included in the 1st AMTRAC Battalion's Tactical Area of Operations and BLT 3/1 was placed under the operational control of 1st AMTRACs. The plan of action was to move east-to-west along the north bank, reducing the fortified hamlets in order while establishing a firm line of defense along the BLT's northern flank. The first of the fortified hamlets was My Loc, which was assaulted on 25 January 1968 by Kilo Company, 3/1 Marines, supported by the BLT's tank platoon. The assault began at daybreak and fighting continued through much of the day before the NVA were forced from the hamlet. This engagement, the first in a series that ran to mid-February, cost the lives of five Americans: C Co, 1st Tank Bn Pfc David P. Dodson, Atlanta, GA K Co, 3rd Bn, 1st Marines HM3 Stephen C. Barrett, Troy, NY Pfc Thomas E. Denhoff, Tampa, FL Pfc Bruce J. Fletcher, Eugene, OR Pfc Mitchell F. Silvers, Norwalk, CA The last assault in the series was at Vinh Lai, on the southern bank of the Cua Viet, on 16 Feb 1968. When BLT 3/1 was withdrawn on 17 Feb, the BLT counted 47 dead and and 255 wounded Marines and sailors. The 803rd NVA Regiment had lost 376 known dead and 22 captured, and had been forced to withdraw to sanctuary in the Demilitarized Zone.

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