Wall of Honor
The Following men all served in Alpha Company 3rd
Reconnaissance Battalion. Forty-eight men were killed in action. Eight
additional men were Killed In Action after leaving the unit and serving in
another reconnaissance company or other Marine unit. Those names are
highlighted.
31
May 2021
Date |
Rank
|
Last Name
|
First
|
I.
|
Hometown
|
St
|
Panel
|
Line
|
12 Jul 1965
|
1st.Lt
|
Reasoner
|
Frank
|
S.
|
Kellogg
|
ID
|
2E
|
36
|
08 Jul 1966
|
LCpl.
|
Longanecker
|
Ronald
|
L.
|
Portland
|
OR
|
9E
|
7
|
06 Dec 1966
|
Pfc.
|
McElroy
|
Theodore
|
R.
|
Cleveland
|
OH
|
13E
|
16
|
26 Jan 1967
|
HM
|
Brown
|
Robert
|
L.
|
East Point
|
GA
|
14E
|
79
|
26 Jan 1967
|
Sgt.
|
Dean
|
Howard
|
H.
|
Harrodsburg
|
KY
|
14E
|
79
|
16 Apr
1967 |
1stLt.
|
Piatt
|
Richard
|
W.
|
Los
Angeles |
CA
|
18E
|
36
|
26 Apr
1967 |
Cpl.
|
Hall
|
Lindy
|
R.
|
Tunkhannock
|
PA
|
18E
|
93
|
10 May 1967
|
1stLt.
|
Ahlmeyer Jr. |
Heinz
|
|
Pearl River
|
NY
|
19E
|
77
|
10 May 1967
|
HM.
|
Miller
|
Malcom
|
T.
|
Tampa
|
FL
|
19E
|
84
|
10 May 1967
|
LCpl.
|
Sharp Jr.
|
Samuel
|
A.
|
San Jose
|
CA
|
19E
|
86
|
10 May 1967
|
Sgt.
|
Tycz
|
James
|
N.
|
Milwaukee
|
WI
|
19E
|
88
|
05 Jun 1967
|
GySgt.
|
Ibanez
|
Di
|
R.
|
San Diego
|
CA
|
21E
|
58
|
06 Jun 1967
|
Cpl.
|
Sherrell
|
David
|
F.
|
Woodland Hill |
CA
|
21E
|
63
|
06 Jun 1967
|
Cpl.
|
Speir
|
Dale
|
L.
|
N. Baltimore |
OH
|
21E
|
63
|
06 Jun 1967
|
Cpl.
|
Withey
|
Howard
|
H.
|
Fayetteville |
AR
|
21E
|
64
|
11 Jun
1967 |
Sgt.
|
Moshier
|
Jim
|
E.
|
Bakersfield
|
CA
|
21E
|
91
|
30 Jun 1967
|
Cpl.
|
Allen
|
Merlin
|
R.
|
Bayfield
|
WI
|
22E
|
86
|
30 Jun 1967
|
HM.
|
Judd
|
Michael
|
B.
|
Cleveland
|
OH
|
22E
|
88
|
30 Jun 1967
|
LCpl.
|
Killen, III
|
John
|
D.
|
Des Moines
|
IA
|
22E
|
88
|
30 Jun 1967
|
Cpl.
|
Runnels Jr.
|
Glyn
|
L.
|
Birmingham
|
AL
|
22E
|
88
|
02 Jul 1967
|
LCpl.
|
Perry
|
Dennis
|
M.
|
Perry
|
GA
|
22E
|
112
|
03 Aug 1967
|
HM.
|
McGrath
|
James
|
P.
|
Chicago
|
IL
|
24E
|
73
|
03 Aug 1967
|
LCpl.
|
Nahan III
|
John
|
B.
|
Allegan
|
MI
|
24E
|
73
|
03 Aug 1967
|
LCpl.
|
Wolpe
|
Jack
|
|
Newburgh
|
NY
|
24E
|
75
|
12 Aug
1967 |
Sgt.
|
Castaneda
|
Eugene
|
|
Honokaa
|
HI
|
24E
|
102
|
14 Sep 1967
|
Pfc.
|
Dray
|
Donald
|
B.
|
Buffalo
|
NY
|
26E
|
73
|
14 Sep 1967
|
HM.
|
Wilson
|
Gary
|
R.
|
Chicago Hts
|
IL
|
26E
|
73
|
28 Dec
1967 |
Sgt.
|
Phipps
|
Gene
|
R.
|
Greensboro
|
NC
|
32E
|
89
|
30 Dec 1967
|
Pfc.
|
Jones
|
Terry
|
A.
|
Detroit
|
MI
|
33E
|
3
|
30 Dec 1967
|
LCpl.
|
Tingley
|
Thomas
|
J.
|
Fairfield
|
CT
|
33E
|
5
|
02 Jan 1968
|
LCpl.
|
Gauthier
|
Gerald
|
P.
|
St Martinville |
LA
|
33E
|
18
|
02 Jan 1968
|
Pfc.
|
Harris
|
Bruce
|
R.
|
Columbus
|
IN
|
33E
|
18
|
02 Jan 1968
|
Sgt.
|
Houdashelt
|
Francis
|
G.
|
Pensacola
|
FL
|
33E
|
18
|
02 Jan 1968
|
HM.
|
Jarvis
|
David
|
L.
|
Jamesville
|
NY
|
33E
|
19
|
02 Jan 1968
|
Pfc.
|
Miller
|
James
|
W.
|
Fridley
|
MN
|
33E
|
20
|
02 Jan 1968
|
Pfc.
|
Pitts
|
Terry
|
D.
|
Bakersfield
|
CA
|
33E
|
21
|
16 Feb 1968
|
Pfc.
|
Coon
|
Keith
|
D.
|
Topeka
|
KS
|
39E
|
58
|
16 Feb 1968
|
HM.
|
Giejc
|
Alexander
|
|
Milwaukee
|
WI
|
39E
|
59
|
16 Feb 1968
|
Pfc.
|
Little Sun
|
Thomas
|
L.
|
Pawnee
|
OK
|
39E
|
63
|
16 Feb
1968 |
Capt.
|
Ward
|
Alexander
|
K.
|
Annapolis
|
MD
|
39E
|
68
|
14 Sep 1968 |
Pfc.
|
Martinez
|
George
|
V.
|
San Francisco |
CA
|
44W
|
57
|
27 Nov 1968
|
Pfc.
|
Brown
|
John
|
C.
|
Dallas
|
TX
|
38W
|
71
|
24 Aug 1968 |
|
McGill |
Robert |
A |
|
OH |
46W |
6 |
02 Dec
1968 |
1stLt.
|
Latimer,
Jr. |
Richard
|
E.
|
Tinker
AFB |
OK
|
37W
|
23
|
05 Dec 1968
|
LCpl.
|
Hames Jr.
|
Henry
|
M.
|
Portland
|
OR
|
37W
|
46
|
28 Dec 1968
|
LCpl.
|
McGinley
|
Gerald
|
G.
|
Concord
|
CA
|
36W
|
86
|
28 Dec 1968
|
LCpl.
|
Mickelson
|
Dennis
|
E.
|
Eugene
|
OR
|
36W
|
85
|
16 Jan 1969
|
HM.
|
Minks
|
Raymond
|
C.
|
Randolph AFB |
TX
|
34W
|
16
|
10 Mar 1969
|
LCpl.
|
Chavez
|
Freddie
|
P.
|
Albuqueque
|
NM
|
30W
|
39
|
10 Mar 1969
|
Sgt.
|
Gayer
|
Kenneth
|
E.
|
Fresno
|
CA
|
30W
|
101
|
11 Apr 1969
|
Cpl.
|
Scheidel Jr. |
Robert
|
L.
|
Canton
|
CT
|
27W
|
59
|
08 Jun 1969
|
Cpl.
|
Landi
|
George
|
F.
|
New York
|
NY
|
23W
|
111
|
08 Jun 1969
|
1stLt.
|
McLean
|
Ronald
|
W.
|
Beverly Hills |
CA
|
23W
|
113
|
11 Jun 1969
|
Pfc.
|
Hicks
|
Michael
|
E.
|
San Leandro
|
CA
|
22W
|
21
|
31 Jul 1969
|
Cpl.
|
Bates
|
Ronald
|
J.
|
Glouchester City |
NJ
|
20W
|
79
|
06 Sep
1969 |
Capt.
|
McDermott
III |
Bernard
|
A.
|
Nashville
|
TN
|
18W
|
49 |
Alpha
Company Missing In Action
The
following men are missing in action in connection with Alpha Company Recon
patrols during the Vietnam War. They all have been declared “killed in action
and bodies not recovered” by the Department of Defense. Over the years the
government has classified them in a number of categories. However, on this page
they are considered “Missing In Action”. All of these men are either known to
have been killed or believed killed by their team survivors. There is one
exception and that is Di R. Ibanez who was known to be captured by PAVN Forces.
It
is the policy of the Alpha Recon Association to reach out to the families of
these men and assist them in any way possible. We also work very closely,
professionally, behind the scenes with numerous Department of Defense agencies
in an effort to provide them with documents and enable them to have interviews
with our surviving members. We are compelled and driven to provide all
information possible in an effort to assist the Joint POW/MIA Accounting
Command (JPAC) in locating and searching our loss locations
We pray that one day all of our
missing in action will return home.
The below names highlighted are
still Missing In Action. The others have all been located, identified, and
returned to their families.
Date |
Rank |
Last
Name |
First |
I. |
Hometown |
St |
Panel |
Line |
08 Jul 1966 |
LCpl. |
Longanecker |
Ronald |
L. |
Portland |
OR |
9E |
7 |
10 May
1967 |
1stLt. |
Ahlmeyer
Jr. |
Heinz |
|
Pearl
River |
NY |
19E |
77 |
10 May
1967 |
HM. |
Miller |
Malcom |
T. |
Tampa |
FL |
19E |
84 |
10 May
1967 |
LCpl. |
Sharp
Jr. |
Samuel |
A. |
San Jose |
CA |
19E |
86 |
10 May
1967 |
Sgt. |
Tycz |
James |
N. |
Milwaukee |
WI |
19E |
88 |
05 Jun 1967 |
GySgt. |
Ibanez |
Di |
R. |
San Diego |
CA |
21E |
58 |
30 Jun
1967 |
Cpl. |
Allen |
Merlin |
R. |
Bayfield |
WI |
22E |
86 |
30 Jun
1967 |
HM. |
Judd |
Michael |
B. |
Cleveland |
OH |
22E |
88 |
30 Jun
1967 |
LCpl. |
Killen,
III |
John |
D. |
Des
Moines |
IA |
22E |
88 |
30 Jun
1967 |
Cpl. |
Runnels
Jr. |
Glyn |
L. |
Birmingham |
AL |
22E |
88 |
HM Gary R. Wilson
DOB 25 December 1943
Chicago Heights,
IL
Loss Date 14 September 1967
Wall 26E Panel 73
On 14 September 1967 Doc Wilson was a
member of an Alpha Company Patrol that was operating west of Phu Bai. He was
declared missing in action after the team came into contact with enemy forces.
Wilson's remains were recovered and returned during 1970.
The following information was found in
the 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion Command Chronology for the month of September
1967. This was recorded in the summary page:
" A patrol operating in the
vicinity of (YC8997) conducted 48 1/2 hours of reconnaissance and surveillance
which resulted in 1 contact with 2-6 VC. Contact resulted in 1 USMC KIA, 3 USMC
WIA and 1 USN WIA. As the USN WIA was being hoisted into the med-evac
helicopter a red smoke grenade inadvertently went off inside the helo. In the
ensuing confusion the helocopter lurched forward and the Wilson fell and was
lost in the jungle (1 USN MIA )."
An inquiry was made with Department of
Defense and the following information was learned. On 13 January 1970 a patrol
from the 54th ARVN Regiment came upon some remains at YC891977 (about 30
kilometers southeast of FSB Rifle) and sent them through the 85th Evacuation to
the mortuary. These remains were later identified as Gary R. Wilson through a
dental comparison.
The
Return of Recon Team Partyline One
03 Aug 1967
|
HM.
|
McGrath
|
James
|
P.
|
Chicago
|
IL
|
24E
|
73
|
03 Aug 1967
|
LCpl.
|
Nahan III
|
John
|
B.
|
Allegan
|
MI
|
24E
|
73
|
03 Aug 1967
|
LCpl.
|
Wolpe
|
Jack
|
|
Newburgh
|
NY
|
24E
|
75
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reconnaissance
Patrol Partyline One was attacked by NVA forces during the emergency extraction
of the patrol from the Southern A Shau Valley on 3 August, 1967. Three patrol
members and a crewman from the CH-46 attempting the extract were killed when a
rocket propelled grenade exploded inside the helicopter as it was hovering in
the zone. The surviving patrol members and air crew were subsequently extracted
by the back-up helicopter. The enemy situation in and around the landing zone
prevented recovery of their bodies.
The
Joint Task Force, Full Accounting (JTFFA) conducted several recovery operations
in and around the crash site during the 1990 timeframe. Remains were eventually
recovered by excavation of the site and sent to the Army Forensic Laboratory in
Hawaii. Family members were eventually notified that their remains had been
identified.
There
was a Memorial Service at Arlington Cemetery for McGrath, Nahan, Wolpe on 9
November 2001.
Contact:
George Neville