On this date 50 years ago, Feb. 9, 1965, six American “advisers”
were killed in action in Vietnam. America’s official “combat” role in Vietnam
didn’t start until March 8 of that year when Marines were deployed, but many
advisers died before that date while supporting the South Vietnamese.
The
advisers were generally older than the 18- to 20-year-olds who died in the
later years of the war. Several of these six men were married with children,
one is still missing in action, one was awarded the Distinguished Service
Cross. Here are their names, along with links to more information:
- Capt. Don Robert Lewis; 29; Holly Hill, Florida. http://thewall-usa.com/guest.asp?recid=30482
- Warrant Officer John Robert Urban; 30; Helena, Montana. http://thewall-usa.com/guest.asp?recid=53125
The following four died when their base was overrun by the
Viet Cong:
- Staff Sergeant Emmet J. Bryant; 35; Greensburg, Louisiana; http://www.vvmf.org/Wall-of-Faces/6486/EMMETT-J-BRYANT
- Captain Carlton Jake Holland; 36; Casper, Wyoming; Distinguished Service Cross; http://thewall-usa.com/guest.asp?recid=23726 and http://www.vvmf.org/Wall-of-Faces/23705/CARLTON-J-HOLLAND
- PFC John W. Malapelli; 18; Burlington; Kentucky; http://www.vvmf.org/Wall-of-Faces/32044/JOHN-W-MALAPELLI
- Master Sergeant James H. McLean; 34; Los Angeles, California; believed to have been captured, still missing, declared dead in 1978. http://www.vvmf.org/Wall-of-Faces/37034/JAMES-H-MCLEAN
No comments:
Post a Comment