Alpha Company
3rd Reconnaissance
Battalion
United States Marine Corps
ÒVietnam 1965-1969Ó
Company Flag Vietnam
Alpha
Company 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion has a very long and honored legacy. Its roots
lie with the formation of Company E Scouts, 3rd Tank Battalion, on 16
September1942 as part of the newly created 3rd Marine Division. During W.W.II
early 3rd Reconnaissance Marines distinguished themselves at Bougainville,
Solomon Islands, Guam, and Iwo Jima. This gallery will honor those Recon
Marines from Alpha Company that carried on the traditions of our Founding
Fathers during the Vietnam War.
The
entire company was deployed in Vietnam from 7 May 1965 until 7 October 1969
however many smaller deployments from the company were in country and offshore
as early as 1961. During 1964 Alpha Company was assigned airstrip perimeter
duty at Danang during a time of the rapid buildup of U.S. Military Forces in
Southeast Asia. Alpha Company was deployed in the areas of Chu Lai, Danang, Phu
Bai, Dong Ha, Khe Sanh, and Quang Tri.
During
the Vietnam War Alpha Company Marines were awarded one Medal of Honor, five
Navy Cross's, twenty Silver Stars, scores of Bronze Stars, and an unknown
number of Purple Hearts that surely total several hundred. Approximately 650
Marines served in Alpha between 1965 and 1969 with 55 Gallant Marines Killed In Action.
Over time
this gallery will record our legacy with documents, photographs, personal
memories of patrols and operations by those who served, and remembrances in an
effort to preserve our history.
Alpha Recon Association
ÒServing Our Marines
Since 1989Ó
If you served with
Alpha Company 3rd Recon Battalion during the Vietnam War and you have not heard
from us, or if you have not received a mailing in years, we probably lost you
somewhere along the way with a bad address. In any event please contact us. Our
purpose is to locate everyone who serve and to reunite those that spent the
defining times of their lives together.
Alpha Recon Association Is
Granted Tax Exempt Status
IRS
501 C (19) War Veterans Organization
All
contributions to the association are fully tax deductible.
We are very appreciative
of donations. If you would like to make a donation - information how to
contribute is listed in our Company Office Page listed below. Thank you
in advance.
Ò2017 ReunionÓ
Please join with us at our gathering during
November in San Diego, CA. We have selected these dates to coincide with our
Marine Corps Birthday and Veterans Day. No need to remind anyone of the members
that have passed in the past few years or what the future holds for us in the
years we have left. I would encourage, as we always have, to call our teammates
and keep up with each other.
We need to identify those with special needs that
might make it hard for them attend. Also, some may be experiencing a hard time
financially. There was a time that seems like only yesterday when the only
people we could count on were each other. LetÕs make sure we do everything we
can to show the same loyalty today as we felt those many years ago.
In
that regard, we will help those who wish to attend, with funding and
transportation costs. There are many who feel ashamed to ask for help
financially. We have a procedure in place to assist. All that is needed is to
let us know who it is that meets that criteria. This is a confidential
endeavor. Please refer another or notify us of someone that may need
help.
Please
send us an email by clicking Contact Us box below.
Company Office
President Ray P. RaymondÕs Message
A little housekeeping - please keep in touch with any changes of address,
email and phone. I am requesting if your address etc. has
changed in the last two years
please let us know. We do not want to loose track of you with a bad address
return. I can be reached at george.neville.
We
have a email distribution list for occasional notices.
We do not share this information with anyone other then our members. If you
would
like to be included in this listing send us your email address. For security purposes recipients are
blind copied (bcc). If you would
like
contact information for someone please let us know.
Resolution for
Granting Financial Assistance see Company Office for details.
_____________________
Certificate of Commendation for Recon Marines (new 12.01.15). Just recently
the Commandant of the Marine Corps General Joseph F Dunford Jr. signed off on a
Certificate of Commendation to all reconnaissance units for service in Vietnam.
There is no ribbon for this but looks very nice in a frame. The
Certificate is here.
(Includes ÒFinal TapsÓ DODÕs)
JTFFA
Search Report: Ronald Lee Longanecker 08 July 1966
The Return of Team
Breaker 2005
American Beauty Patrol &
Jimmy Stewart Info
Fidelis Certa Merces
(This
Latin Phrase Appears On USMC WW2 Honorable Discharge Certificates)
"To
The Faithful There Is Just Reward"
This Web Site is maintained by
the Alpha Recon Association, a combat Viet-Nam Veterans group that served in
Alpha Company 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion, USMC 1965-69.
We hope you enjoy your visit - check back often.