Tracy Lee Whoolery
Staff Sergeant
C CO, 1ST BN, 1ST MARINES, 1ST MARDIV, III MAF
United States Marine Corps
Baltimore, Maryland
September 17, 1941 to November 02, 1967
TRACY L WHOOLERY is on the Wall at Panel 29E, Line 13

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Tracy L Whoolery
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Tracy L Whoolery

SSGT TRACY LEE WHOOLERY

 
29 Mar 2008

Staff Sergeant Tracy Whoolery was a very imposing Marine Senior NCO who had just completed his tour as a drill instructor when he reported into Bravo 1/1 as my platoon sergeant. He quickly established himself as a SNCOIC to be reckoned with in the field. He was a take-charge Marine who cared for his men. I will never forget this Marine SNCO. Thank you for your guidance. Semper Fidelis - You are a Marine's Marine.

From a Marine brother in combat,
Emmett Salas
Sgt Maj USMC (Retired)
314 Richmond Drive, Jacksonville, N. C. 28540
emmettchelu1946@yahoo.com


 

A Note from The Virtual Wall

Operation OSCEOLA was the name given to security operations conducted around the Quang Tri Combat Base in northern Quang Tri Province. At the beginning of November 1967 the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines were engaged in patrols around the base, with Charlie Company operating in an area about 4 kilometers west-northwest of the Quang Tri airfield. The 1st Marines' Operation OSCEOLA After-Action Report for 01 Nov contains several entries regarding Charlie 1/1 reporting the detonation of explosive devices which wounded a total of nine Marines. The first such entry states that a Marine detonated a boobytrap which wounded two men - and that when another Marine went to their assistance he tripped a second boobytrap and was himself wounded.

While the casualty database does not contain the date SSgt Whoolery was wounded, he was awarded the Silver Star for his actions on 01 Nov 1967. Given Master Sergeant Salas's comments above, it is almost impossible not to imagine that SSgt Whoolery responded to the first detonation in such a manner as to warrant award of the Silver Star - and was fatally wounded by the second explosion. Regretably, The Virtual Wall has not been able to obtain a copy of the Citation to his Silver Star.

Staff Sergeant Whoolery died of wounds on 02 November. On Veterans' Day, 11 November 1967, he was buried in Plot 16-69, Beaufort National Cemetery, Beaufort, South Carolina.


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