Charlie 2 Rocket Attack CASUALTIES ( 30 )

A Note from The Virtual Wall:

By April 1971 almost all Marine forces had been withdrawn from Quang Tri Province on the DMZ, with a consequent build-up of U. S. Army forces relocated from further south. Operation MONTANA MUSTANG (08 Apr - 11 Jul 71) was a 5th Infantry Division operation intended "to locate and destroy enemy forces, eliminate VCI, conduct reaction/exploitation operations and assist in pacification and Vietnamization in Quang Tri Province." 5th ID units occupied a number of positions previously held by USMC units, including Fire Support Base C-2 a bit south of the DMZ.

The After Action Report for MONTANA MAULER

Entry for 21 May 1971:
"1-61 [at FSB Charlie - 2] started to receive 122mm rockets equipped with delayed fuzes. Altogether 11 rockets landed within the perimeter. At 1744H the seventh rocket struck the club bunker which was occupied by an estimated 65-70 personnel. The bunker collapsed on those inside and rescue operations were begun immediately. All available personnel and equipment were requested and employed, and Co C /1-61 arrived from Quang Tri CB as a reaction force at 2100H. Excavation rescue and dustoff activities finally ceased at approximately 0200H on 22 May. From the incident there were 29 KIA's and 33 WIA's."

The men killed in the collapsing bunker were:


HHC, 1st Bde, 5 Inf Div
CPT George T. Taylor, Mount Pleasant, SC
PFC William E. Wolfe, Fountain Valley, CA


A Co, 7th Engineers
SSG Bennie L. North, San Antonio, TX
SGT Alvin C. Curry, Portsmouth, VA
SGT Columbus V. Gross, Rensselaer, IN
SGT Billy D. Herring, St Louis, MO
SP4 William M. Kenedy, Meridian, MS
SP4 John H. Najmola, Canton, OH
SP4 Kenneth G. Westerberg, Barnum, MN


B Btry, 26th Artillery
SP4 David B. Matykiewicz, Washington, PA


G Btry, 65th Artillery
SSG James E. Boddie, Cleveland, OH


C Btry, 5th Bn, 4th Artillery
SP4 Charles N. Kowalk, Melrose Park, IL


A Co, 1st Bn, 61st Infantry
SP4 Randall J. Glasspoole, Riverton, WY
SP4 William H. Hjorth, Lansing, MI
SP4 Jerome A. Olson, Excelsior, MN
SP4 Osier L. Pruitt, Inman, SC
SP4 J C. Summerlin, Brewton, AL
PFC Vincent M. Benedetti, Providence, RI
PFC Joe F. Gayosso, Montebello, CA
PFC Karl J. Lavallee, Groton, CT
PFC Alberto A. Ramirez, New York, NY
PFC William Saylor, North, SC
PFC William T. Smith, North Little Rock, AR


D Co, 1st Bn, 61st Infantry
SFC William C. Jennings, Chicago, IL
SSG Leo C. Oatman, Weatherford, TX


HHC, 1st Bn, 61st Infantry
SMAJ Charles M. Crawford, Lucas, OH
SFC Thomas F. Delehant, Dunlap, IA
SP5 Steven M. Mitchell, Des Moines, IA
PFC Marcus E. Arneson, Glenview, IL


A Co, 1st Bn, 77th Armor
1LT Robert B. Lecates, Florence, AL

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This Page was created in July 2021
by Budd Russell