While on patrol moving though tall grass south of Hill 55 in THE DODGE CITY area of Dai Loc District, a Booby Trap was tripped causing the detonation of what may have been a 105 mm artillery round rigged as an Secondary Firing Device. The explosion killed three Marines and wounded eight who were evacuated. The 3 killed were: Lcpl David William Gaskin, Deerfield Beach, Florida Cpl Charles Mitchell Hannah, Whitesville, West Virginia SSgt Robert Edward Tully Jr., Arlington, Virginia Boot Camp Graduation Photo Parris Island, SC Platoon 9, 2nd Recruit Battalion, MCRD, Parris Island, SC Per brother: "New Orleans Circa 1956 First Hitch in the Corps - Bob & our Mother probably on their way to church. Mother is probably going to say a prayer of thanksgiving that Bob did not get caught up in "Ribbon Creek". He is wearing Corporal chevrons w/o the crossed rifles - the Old Corps. He is stationed at Camp LeJeune, NC as 0141- clerk typist, a self-described "Remington Raider" - the typewriter, not the rifle. In 2005 Hurricane Katrina destroys that house at 6104 Arts St. in Gentilly (Photo supplied by Jan Tully, Bob's widow)." "Henderson Hall, Arlington, Virginia. Circa 1958. Bob was a voracious reader. Here he is just off of duty, battle scarf (tie) hanging loose, wearing buck Sgt stripes w/o crossed rifles, my guess he is an E-4, devouring the New York Times. He is an MOS 0141, clerk typist assigned to A Co., HQ Bn., HQ USMC next to Arlington Cemetery. This is 4 years before he has his MOS changed to that of an infantryman 0300 - life altering change." "Bob arrived in Da Nang from Okinawa for his first tour of duty in RVN. He was just shy of his 28th birthday. He was with MP Co., Hq. Bn., 3d Mar Div. His unit was billeted in a French Colonial hotel in downtown Da Nang. Later, the unit would move out to the other side of Da Nang Air Base. He extended this first tour in Vietnam until Sept. 1966. On his last extension, he requested and was granted a transfer to Golf Co., 2nd Bn., 9th Marines up at Phu Bai, an infantry unit." "In August 1965, I would join him in RVN. I was at Chu Lai w/ Force Logistic Support Gp.-B." "In October 1965, Our Dad's wife, Capt. Ethel Tully, an Army nurse, would arrive in Saigon w/ the 51st Field Hospital. She was head of the orthopedic ward." Daily Press article, New Port News, Virginia, Wednesday, October 13, 1965. "In February 1966, our Dad, a CWO in the Army, would join his wife in Saigon. He served as Supply Officer w/ the 34th General Support Gp.(AM&S). Bob would go back to RVN in September 1967 for a 2nd and final tour." "Four of us served in Vietnam, only 3 of us survived Vietnam." Belvidere Daily Republican, Belvidere, Illinois, Tuesday, 21 June 1966. "31 January 1968, Bob ships over (re-enlists) for 4 more years in the Corps. At this re-enlistment ceremony, Capt. Baggette, his CO, probably presents him with the Bronze Star Medal w/ Combat V that he earned on 8 Nov 67 when he led a 14 man patrol to help the CAP unit C-1 near the Song Thu Bon (River). Shortly after that he was wounded on 19 Nov 67, so he is just back in the Company area from various hospitals in Danang, Philippines and Guam. Records show that the Navy Commendation Medal was recommended for: Sgt. Douglas Isleb; Cpl. M.L. Demarco; Cpl. Ralph Keenan and Pvt. J.Q. Williams for their heroic actions on 8 Nov 67 as part of that 14 man patrol..." "Jan 1968 Hill 37 Dai Loc District, Quang Nam Province, Company area India 3/7. Bob is just back from 2 months in the hospitals in the Philippines, Guam & Danang. He was wounded in the Nov 19, 1967 ambush that claimed the lives of Sgt Joel Stephen Williamson, LCpl Robert Bruce Wilson IV, Cpl Mark Carson Peterson and PO3 Charles Edward Robertson" [TVW: Also killed in the same incident were Cpl Frank Andrisano and LCpl Anthony Vigil]. "Robert is sitting in the chair of the First Sgt, J.P. Carroll, who must be out of the area. No one sits in the 1st Sgt chair when he is in the area. Word came recently that 1st Sgt Carroll passed away. (Photo courtesy of Cousin R.M. Tully)." - - - The Virtual Wall, August 26, 2018

Contact Us

© Copyright 1997-2019 www.VirtualWall.org, Ltd ®(TM)

Last update 08/15/2019