30 Mar 2001 Mike was my fireteam leader. He always tried to make me a better Marine. He gave me the nickname "Rip" for Rip Van Winkle. Mike noticed that I never missed a nap. I saw Mike a few minutes before he was shot during the Harvest Moon ambush. He gave me a wink and smile as if everything was going to be okay. I always admired and looked up to Mike. He was a special guy. The good do die young. Robert "Rip" Burnett 74 E. Main St., Merced, CA 95340 tamborbob@yahoo.com

 

A Note from The Virtual Wall On 18 December 1965 the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines and 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines were engaged in Operation HARVEST MOON in Quang Nam Province. The 2/7 Marines were moving toward the hamlet of Ky Phu in a battalion column march. At about 1300 both the head and the tail of the column began receiving heavy mortar and automatic weapons fire. The 2/7 Marines deployed and assaulted the enemy, who were well dug in and apparently planned to stay and fight it out. It took the Marines four hours of heavy fighting to eject the 80th VC Battalion from Ky Phu; when the VC withdrew they left 105 bodies and numerous weapons on the battlefield. The 2/7 Marines lost nine men killed in the action, and three more died from wounds received: Fox Company: Cpl Michael C. Halstead, Hoxie, AR (DoW 12/19/1965) Cpl Stephen J. Lukasiewski, Ellington, CT Pfc Fred A. Tryon, Downey, CA Golf Company: Cpl Ronald W. Porter, Antioch, CA LCpl Federico Silva, San Bernardino, CA H&S Company: Cpl Donald D. Karlin, Wichita, KS Cpl William V. Moss, Chappaqua, NY (DoW 12/21/1965) Cpl Joseph E. Nimiroski, Attleboro, MA LCpl Vernon E. Holland, Lexington, KY LCpl Ernest F. Losoya, Salinas, CA (DoW 12/19/1965) LCpl Jack S. Swender, Kansas City, KS Pfc Melvin L. Frontella, Mountain View, CA

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