This Military Service Page was created/owned by
SSgt Scott E (ED) Dodson (Foxtrot)
to remember
Marine PFC Donald Lyle Elliott.
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Casualty Info
Home Town Johnston, R.I.
Last Address Springfield, MA
Casualty Date Aug 10, 1969
Cause KIA-Killed in Action
Reason Artillery, Rocket, Mortar
Location Quang Tri (Vietnam)
Conflict Vietnam War
Location of Interment Highland Memorial Park - Johnston, Rhode Island
Vietnam War/Summer-Fall 1969 Campaign/Battle of Hill 484 on Mutter's Ridge
From Month/Year
August / 1969
To Month/Year
August / 1969
Description During the summer of 1969 the North Vietnamese Army made repeated attempts to drive Allied forces from the heights of Mutter's Ridge, which formed a portion of the southern boundary of the DMZ. According to the Command Chronology for the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines on 10 August Echo Company, 2/3 Marines, lost 19 men in heavy fighting near Hill 484.
On the night of 09/10 August the 3rd Platoon, Echo 2/3 and the attached portion of the 81mm Mortar Platoon, H&S 2/3 established a night defensive position near Hill 484. At 0415 on 10 August the position was attacked from three sides by NVA regulars.
Although the NDP perimeter was breached the Marines held out and the NVA withdrew - but only to reorganize. At 0615 the NVA attacked again, this time under cover of a heavy mortar barrage. Once again, the Marines held and the NVA withdrew. At 1015 on 10 October, reinforcements from Alpha Company 1/3 Marines began to arrive.
As noted, by that time the men from 2nd Platoon Echo 2/3 and the Mortar Platoon elements had incurred 19 men killed in action and 75 wounded - in effect, every man in the NDP was dead or injured.
