This Military Service Page was created/owned by
LCpl Robert Chiominto
to remember
Marine Cpl Edward Jean Bohannon, Jr..
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Casualty Info
Home Town Phoenix
Last Address Phoenix
Casualty Date May 21, 1967
Cause KIA-Killed in Action
Reason Gun, Small Arms Fire
Location Quang Tri (Vietnam)
Conflict Vietnam War
Location of Interment Resthaven Park East Cemetery - Phoenix, Arizona
Cpl Edward Bohannon was wounded and marked for medivac but refused to go because his squad was going on a sweep and would not leave them.He was killed in action while leading his squad on a sweep of the bunkers on Hill 70. He engaged a bunker and was killed while clearing it of NVA soldiers.
The North Vietnamese Army had two divisions stationed in the Demilitarized Zone, and a third just north of the DMZ. These forces were supported by heavy artillery based in and north of the DMZ, and were free to cross into South Vietnam as they wished, withdrawing into the sanctuary of the DMZ when necessary. In late Spring of 1967 the United States government changed its policy with respect to the DMZ and authorized MACV to allow US military operations in the southern half of the DMZ.
OPERATION HICKORY was the immediate result and was in response to thrusts south by elements of the two NVA Divisions. HICKORY was intended to defeat NVA units operating south of and within the portion of the DMZ up to (but not across) the Ben Hai River. One of the forces employed was the 3rd Battalion, 9th Marines, recently withdrawn from operations west of the Khe Sanh Combat Base.
In the eastern sector, HICKORY was successful in forcing the NVA to withdraw north of the Ben Hai River, in removing some 11,000 civilians from the disputed areas, and in destroying the NVA infrastructure south of the Ben Hai - but that success came at a high cost.
On 20 May, Kilo 3/9, point for the battalion, made contact with what it initially estimated to be an enemy platoon deployed in mutually supporting bunkers in a draw. The enemy, at least a company, took Kilo under fire. To relieve pressure on Kilo, Lima 3/9 maneuvered to the flank of the enemy position, but was unable to link up with Kilo because of heavy enemy fire. Both companies spent the night on opposite sides of the draw with the enemy force between them, while supporting arms pounded the enemy position all night.
On the 21st, Mike 3/9 moved forward, joining with Kilo and Lima, and the three companies were able to clear the area. The clearing operation was costly: 26 Marines were killed and 59 wounded. The Marines counted only 36 enemy bodies, but the lingering smell in the draw indicated that many others were in the destroyed fortifications.
