Marine Lieutenant Dempsey Williams III, first American to die in "ground war" in Vietnam

Yesterday (March 8) marked the 50^th anniversary of the U.S. “combat role” in Vietnam. Americans had been there for a long time prior to that date, and many had died, but they were officially “advisers.” On March 8, 1965, about 3,500 Marines from the 9^th Expeditionary Force went ashore at Da Nang, marking the official beginning of the U.S. ground war. 

No Americans died in Vietnam that day, but one day later, on March 9, 1965, a Marine officer who was already “in country” with the advisory group was killed in action. He was First Lieutenant Dempsey H. Williams III, 25, who was posthumously awarded the Silver Star for his actions. The citation reads:

“The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to First Lieutenant Dempsey H. Williams, III (MCSN: 0-82159), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving with the Marine Advisory Unit of the Naval Advisory Group, United States Military Assistance Command, Vietnam on 9 March 1965. First Lieutenant Williams was an Assistant Task Force Advisor to Task Force A of the Vietnamese Marine Brigade in the hostile area of Hoai An Village, Bihn Dinh Province, when the Marines were ordered to attack the Viet Cong besieging the town. Plans were made to closely coordinate the strikes of attack aircraft with the advance of ground troops. To be in a better position to observe and coordinate the attack he joined the leading elements of the group. He reached the head of the column as they crossed a bamboo bridge under heavy fire and helped steady the forward Vietnamese troops as in the air strikes were conducted on enemy positions barely twenty-five meters in front of their positions. Although the Vietnamese troops could not understand his shouts as he gave the signal for the assault, they rallied to his example and overran the forward enemy positions. When his unit became pinned down from reinforcing enemy fire, he searched for a smoke grenade to mark their positions for the friendly aircraft but a burst of hostile automatic weapons fire hit him and he died shortly afterwards. Through his knowledge of air-ground coordination techniques, and his shining personal example, he contributed substantially to the relief of the village of Hoai An from Viet Cong attack. His cool courage and gallant actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life in the cause of freedom.”

Lt. Williams was a native of Fayetteville, NC, and was married. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.