This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Sgt Terry Paggi
to remember
Marine Cpl Richard Clark Abbate.
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Casualty Info
Home Town Elmwood Park, IL
Casualty Date May 18, 1968
Cause KIA-Killed in Action
Reason Gun, Small Arms Fire
Location Quang Nam (Vietnam)
Conflict Vietnam War
Location of Interment Saint Joseph Cemetery - River Grove, Illinois
Vietnam War/Counteroffensive Phase IV Campaign (1968)/Operation Allen Brook
From Month/Year
May / 1968
To Month/Year
August / 1968
Description May 4 – Aug 24; 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Battalion, 26th Marines, 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Battalions, 27th Marines and 2nd Battalion, 13th Marines operation in the southern Quảng Nam Province.
The Viet Cong liked to fortify ambush sites and wait for the Americans to discover them. During Operation Allen Brook, three battalions of Marines swept through No Goi Island and found lots of Viet Cong ready to fight from bunkers near the village of Le Bac. During several days of bloody assaults, the Marines suffered 138 killed and 686 wounded (576 seriously) before the surviving Viet Cong fled. The extreme heat resulted in another 283 Marines evacuated due to heat stroke. Having suffered 50% causalities, Allen Brook was halted until fresh Marine units arrived.
