Retired Medically.............. Commandant Department of Arizona, Marine Corps League
Past Commandant 2013 to 2015, and 2018, White Tank Mountain Detachment 1246
Past Departments Commander of Arizona, Military Order of the Purple Heart, 1999-2002
Other Comments:
Veterans Advorsary. And a Inductee of the; Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame, Class of 2007,
Purle Heart Patriot of the year Department of Arizona, 2013,
Marine of the Year Department of Arizona, 2015,
Vietnam Veterans of America Achivement Medal 2016,
Dog of the Year, Military Order of the Devil Dog, 2017-2018,
Senator Martha McSally, Veterans Distinction of the Year Award August 24,2019,
Vietnam War/Counteroffensive Phase II Campaign (1966-67)/Operation Prairie
From Month/Year
August / 1966
To Month/Year
January / 1967
Description Operation Prairie (August 3 – January 31, 1967) was a military operation in northern South Vietnam. Its job was to eliminating North Vietnamese Army forces south of the DMZ.
1st Battalion, 3rd Marines, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines, 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines and 1st and 3rd Battalions, 26th Marines search and destroy operation against the 324B NVA Division in the hills at Con Thien/Gio Linh areas south of the DMZ at Mutter's Ridge, the Razorback, Hill 400, Hill 484 and The Rockpile.
During August, 2nd Battalion 4th Marines, 3rd Battalion 4th Marines and other units saw heavy fighting with the NVA 324B division. Prairie was a string of battles that was fought in the foothills south of the DMZ. The Commander of E Company 2nd Battalion 4th Marines, Capt. Howard V. Lee was awarded the Medal of Honor for his outstanding bravery during this operation.
