Falwell, Donald Wayne, PFC

The water run ambush.

Some of us went from Vietnan to Okinawa to refurbish. With others, returned to Vietnam as Battalion Landing Team (BLT-1/3), 1st. Batn, 3rd. Marine Regiment (FMF). Our fleet ship was the USS Okinawa, a helicopter carrier to do heliborne assaults against the N. Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces. On the 28 April 28, 1967 we were helolifted into the Que Son Valley (Quang Tin Prov.) to sweep northwest of the village. We humped for days, contact with the enemy was increasing. On May 3, 1967 after a very hot day of search, we called off the day. It was Operation Beaver Cage-Union. In need of drinking water, a water run was organized out of company "A" guys who proceeded to pick up every else's canteens and hoisted them on belts to carry as many as possible to a creek. So many that they were even told not to bring their weapons. We had made the mistake of setting up camp in a flat area lower than some nearby hills. Unknowingly to us, the enemy was spying from the higher ground. The water run left and we keep digging for the night. Shortly afterwards, heavy automatic and small arms fire erupted. Since there have been no prior scouting, the water run was easily ambushed. Every body was called to commit and the battle lasted until past midnight. Artillery and gunship fire was needed to suppress the cunning enemy. 14 Marine brothers were killed that night including this hero. Some of the bodies we could not retrieve until the next day. As Shore Party man, I loaded most the bodies into the choppers. 38 years later, I want to Memorialize them all and tell their loved ones what happened. As for me, sometime later, on the evening of June 13, 1967, I lost part of my right leg to a booby trap during the first day of Operation Choctaw. God Bless you all brothers. I still love and remember you all. Semper Fi. Antonio R. Ramos