This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Cpl Stephen Fletcher (Fletch)
to remember
Marine Cpl Ralph Herbert Watington, Jr..
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Casualty Info
Home Town Manhatten
Last Address Manhatten
Casualty Date May 08, 1967
Cause KIA-Killed in Action
Reason Gun, Small Arms Fire
Location Quang Tri (Vietnam)
Conflict Vietnam War
Location of Interment Long Island National Cemetery (VA) - Farmingdale, New York
Wall/Plot Coordinates Panel 19E Line 068/Section 2C Site 7907
Vietnam War/Counteroffensive Phase II Campaign (1966-67)/Operation Prairie IV
From Month/Year
April / 1967
To Month/Year
May / 1967
Description Apr 19 – May 31; 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines, 1st Battalion, 9th Marines, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines, 3rd Battalion, 9th Marines and 2nd Battalion, 26th Marines search and destroy operation in the Quảng Trị Province.
Operation Prairie IV was sweeping the area southwest of Con Thien. On 28 May 3/4 Marines ran into a bunker complex on Hill 174, 6 km southwest of Con Thien. Companies M and L attacked the complex but were forced back by small arms, machine guns, 57mm recoilless rifle and 82mm mortars for the loss of 2 Marines KIA and 21 wounded. Artillery hit the hill throughout the night and the next day Companies M and I attacked the hill, suffering 5 KIA and 33 wounded without driving the NVA from the crest of the hill.
Companies M and I attacked unsuccessfully again on 30 May suffering 1 KIA and 45 wounded. The NVA abandoned the hill during the night of 30/31 May. Operation Prairie IV resulted in 505 NVA killed and 8 captured for 164 Marines KIA and 1240 wounded.
