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LCpl Ashley Roberts
to remember
Marine Sgt William Michael Adair (Mike).
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Casualty Info
Home Town Bellevue, WA
Last Address Bellevue, WA
Casualty Date Jan 06, 1970
Cause KIA-Killed in Action
Reason Other Explosive Device
Location Quang Nam (Vietnam)
Conflict Vietnam War
Location of Interment Willamette National Cemetery (VA) - Portland, Oregon
Wall/Plot Coordinates 14W 006/Plot: Section K, Site 3906
NIGHT ATTACK FSB ROSS, 2 KM WEST OF QUE SON 19700106
UTM grid reference is BT025343
William the son of Lyle D. Adair and Margaret J. Adair of Salem OR in the US Marine Corps Reserve entered active duty at Camp Pendleton CA on July 18, 1969 and assigned TAD for 18 months for duty in Vietnam. Sgt Adair arrived in country on August 19, 1969 and was assigned to H&S Company, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st MARDIV (Rein) FMF.
At 01:30H undercover of darkness and a monsoon rain which cut the visibility the VC announced their attack on Fire Support Base Ross with a 200 round mortar barrage and sappers opened fire with RPG's and small arms around the entire perimeter. Explosions thundered throughout the compound and hot molten metal whistled in the damp air. The first shells caught many of the Marines asleep in their quarters, but with explosions all around them they immediately scrambled for their assigned fighting hole or any defensive position in close proximity. Infiltrators had breeched the wire and were inside the perimeter causing havoc with satchel charges and grenades. The defenders rallied quickly and after cleaning out their living areas from the enemy onslaught they deployed around the perimeter to block any further attack.
One of the many Marine casualties that didn't survive the night was Sgt Adair who was killed as a result of multiple fragmentation wounds.
Casualties: H&S Company
William Michael Adair
Russel Earl Gilbrech
Julian Robles Rodriguez
Frank Mark Walker
Casualties: Company A
Kenneth William Boward
Richard Fredrick Brant Jr.
William Leslie Campbell Jr. Died of Wounds
John James Hargreaves
Mickey Lee Hawkins
Beryl Gene Peters
Dean Allyn Wilderspin
Casualties: Company C
Joseph Alfred Lozano
Comments/Citation:
Service number 2112272/540503101
Tour start date 08/19/1969
Vietnam War/Summer-Fall 1969 Campaign
From Month/Year
June / 1969
To Month/Year
October / 1969
Description This campaign was from 9 June to 31 October 1969. During the summer and fall of 1969, conduct of operations was increasingly turned over to Vietnamese, US troops withdrew in greater numbers amid reaffirmations of support for the Republic of South Vietnam government. President Nixon announced the reduction of the U.S. military presence in South Vietnam which would be demonstrated initially by the withdrawal of 25,000 troops by 31 August 1969.
American troop strength had peaked at 543,400 in April 1969 but dropped to 505,500 by mid October. More scattered than before, enemy attacks were concentrated on South Vietnamese positions. U.S. combat deaths were down in the early fall as American units switched to small unit actions. The trend was not constant, however, because U.S. troops deaths which had fallen well below l00 a week in the fall, rose above 100 later in the year.