This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Sgt Mike Fishbaugh (Fish)
to remember
Marine Cpl Donald Murphy (Murph).
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Description Apr 7 – 15; 1st Brigade, 5th Infantry Division clear and search operation in the Ba Long Valley, Quảng Trá»? Province. 8 April through 15 April the brigade conducted Operation Ellis Ravine, which was a search and clear, road building operation conducted in cooperation with the 1 st and 2 nd ARVN Regts, 1 st ARVN Division. During Ellis Ravine a road was opened between LZ Sharon(YD335445) and Ca Lu (Y015455) giving the 3 rd Marine Division a route from Quang Tri to Vandergrift Combat Base that could, with a little improvement, be used as a supply route for Vandergrift Combat Base should Route 9 be closed. On 8 April the 1 st Inf Bde, 5 th Inf Div (M) begin a combined search and clear, and road building operation in the Ba Long Valley west of Quang Tri City . The operation was conducted in coordination and cooperation with the 1 st and 2 nd ARVN Regts and lasted until 15 April 1969 .
Elements of the Brigade that participated in the operation were the 1 st Bn, 11 th Inf and the 3 rd Squadron, 5 th Cav. The 1 st Bn, 11 th Inf was reinforced by the addition of one Cav Troop (A/4-12 Cav) and an engineer platoon (Reinf) from the organic Brigade Engineer Company (A/7 Engr), while the 3 rd Sqdn, 5 th Cav Consisted of A and B Troops 3-5 Cav, D/1-11 Inf and a reinforced engineer platoon from A/7 Engr.
Ellis Ravine had not resulted in the destruction of any enemy forces or caches, but an alternate supply route was opened between Quang Tri Combat Base and Vandergrift Combat Base.
