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LCpl Gary Porter
to remember
Marine Cpl Gerald David Zawadzki.
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Casualty Info
Home Town Cleveland, OH
Last Address Brooklyn, Ohio
Casualty Date Feb 25, 1969
Cause KIA-Killed in Action
Reason Multiple Fragmentation Wounds
Location Quang Tri (Vietnam)
Conflict Vietnam War
Location of Interment Calvary Cemetery - Cleveland, Ohio
Wall/Plot Coordinates 31W 063/Plot 2, Section 83, Lot 3523
Vietnam War/Counteroffensive Phase VI Campaign (1968-69)/Battle of Fire Support Bases Neville and Russell
From Month/Year
February / 1969
To Month/Year
February / 1969
Description Fire Support Bases NEVILLE and RUSSELL were west of Cam Lo, with NEVILLE the westernmost of the two. In late February 1969, NEVILLE was occupied by Golf Btry 3/12 with Hotel Company, 2/4 as a security force. Five miles to the east, FSB RUSSELL had Hotel and Mortar Btries, 3/12, and elements of 2/4 as a security force - primarily Echo 2/4, but also elements of H&S Company.
In the early morning hours of 25 Feb 1969 both bases were hit hard by NVA sappers - about 200 from the 246th NVA Regiment at NEVILLE and an equal number from the 27th NVA Regiment at RUSSELL. In each case the attacks began with heavy mortar fire and supporting artillery fire from within the DMZ, followed by a ground attack clearly intended to destroy the artillery pieces in their gun pits. In each case the enemy partially overran the base, and in each case the Marines drove them out again.
During the end of February the Battalion was responsible for the defense of FSB (Fire Support Base) Neville, FSB Russell, and FSB Alpine in Quang Tri Province. Surrounded by the NVA, FSB Neville came under attack at 2330 hours on February 24 with the enemy penetrating Company H defenses by an enemy sapper unit. Sporadic fighting continued until dawn until the enemy withdrew into the mountainous terrain.
As the Marines on FSB Neville were under siege, at 0350 hours of February 25 the enemy launched an attack the Marines of Company E and Battery H, at FSB Russell. Following a barrage of 82 mm mortars a ground attack was launched breeching the defensive perimeter under the cover of the mortar fire. Firing RPG's and automatic weapons the attackers advanced in waves but were unable to completely overrun the Marines position. The battle lasted thorough out the night until day break when the enemy withdrew.
When the sun rose, the Marines had over three dozen dead and 100+ wounded, while there were 61 enemy bodies inside the two perimeters - but the guns sustained no serious damage and were firing.
The 14 Americans killed at FSB NEVILLE were
Golf 3/12:
HM2 Walter P. Seel, Moorestown, NJ (H&S with Golf Btry) (Silver Star)
Cpl Jeffrey M. Barron, La Puente, CA (Silver Star)
LCpl Thomas H. Mc Grath, Homewood, IL (Silver Star)
Hotel 2/4:
Cpl Gerald D. Zawadzki, Brooklyn, OH
LCpl Steven V. Garcia, Phoenix, AZ
HM3 John M. Sullivan, El Cajon, CA (H&S with Hotel 2/4)
Pfc Raymond L. Flint, Skaneateles, NY
Pfc Walter L. Lamarr, Sturtevant, WI
Pfc Samuel C. Macon, Delray Beach, FL
Pfc David A. Mallory, Huntsville, AL
Pfc Royce E. Roe, Pewaukee, WI
Pfc Carey W. Smith, Doraville, GA
Pfc Willie F. Smith, Houston, TX
Pfc Michael L. Zappia, Des Moines, IA
H&S Company
Robert Henry Brogan
Odell Dickens
Douglas Bruce Forsberg
Juan Gaston
Michael Anthony Harvey
Robert Alan Mc Carthy
Tommy Neal Miller
Norman Roger Surprenant
Robert Hill Trail
James Eric Tucker
Donald Kevin Walsh
George Washington Weldy
Company E
Robert Allen Coffey
William Howard Hunt
Michael Lee Jenkins
James Dwight Logan
Randolph Raymond Ramsey
Bruce Alan Saunders
Allen Morris Sharp
H Battery 12th Marines
Kenneth Davis
Kenneth Ray Gilliam
Norman Wade Kellum
Donald Randell Lewis
Larry William Liss
Marion Wayne Lyons
James Douglas Peschel
Gerald Przybylinski
David Lynn Rutgers
Larry Joseph Sikorski
There were 27 dead Marines at FSB RUSSELL - 18 infantrymen from 2/4 and 9 artillerymen from 3/12.
