Douglas Ronald Mowbray
Private First Class
1ST PLT, A CO, 5TH RECON BN, 1ST MARDIV, III MAF
United States Marine Corps
Peekskill, New York
October 18, 1945 to September 15, 1966
DOUGLAS R MOWBRAY is on the Wall at Panel 10E, Line 97

phndvsvc.gif
 
Combat Action Ribbon
 
Douglas R Mowbray
3rdmaf.gif 1mardiv.gif 5reconbn.gif

 
25 Aug 2002

"SEMPER FIDELIS"

To be "Always Faithful" is both the least that we owe
and an exact description of what we owe
to these men.

From a fellow Marine,
Dennis Quinn
1/26 Marines
dennisq@worldnet.att.net


Douglas R. Mowbray
also is remembered by his classmates on their
Peekskill (NY) High School Memorial Page

 
30 Nov 2005

That's my uncle. Never knew him but my father Michael told me about his story in Vietnam. He is survived by his sisters Sandra, Betty, Linda and brothers John, David, and Michael. My granma Ginny is still alive too. At first when my grandmother found out about his death she was lied to and told he was killed as a casualty. Around 10 years later she found out that he was beaten and tortured severely and that is how he died. He died proud and as a soldier for the United States. He is still talked about often and lives on in all of the Mowbray family. Rest in peace, Uncle Dougy.

From his niece,
S. Mowbray
portdn6@aol.com

 
23 Sep 2007

Douglas Mowbray is listed on the Peekskill High Alumni web page. Doug was a graduate of Hendrick Hudson High School but we are proud to list him on our own "Fallen Heroes" page.

If anyone has memories or more pictures of Douglas we would be most honored to include them on our page.

Douglas R Mowbray

Ron Abbey
Class of 1940, webmaster
Florida
ronabbey@peekskillhighalumni.net

 
9 September 2014

My Best Friend Forever

My loving brother was just a wonderful person.

I think of him and miss him everyday.

God Bless my brother; he gave so much love to so many.

Sister & Friend
Linda Mowbray


Douglas R Mowbray

 
A Note from The Virtual Wall

During the summer of 1966 the North Vietnamese Army's 324B Division had infiltrated south of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) with the clear intention of setting up a major presence in northern Quang Tri Province. The NVA 341st Division was positioned within and north of the DMZ and prepared to support the 324B Division and/or exploit opportunities arising from the 324B's operations.

CG 3rd MAF, the senior US commander in northern South Vietnam, initiated Operation HASTINGS, aimed at discouraging the 324B Division and forcing it back into the DMZ (at the time, US forces could not enter into the DMZ - it was an NVA sanctuary). Heavy fighting continued through July 1966, particularly around the "Rockpile" between Khe Sanh and Camp Carroll. HASTINGS ended, and a series of recon-in-force operations - termed Operation PRAIRIE - began on 03 August 1966.

Operation DECKHOUSE IV was conducted by the 7th Fleet's Special Landing Force Bravo (Battalion Landing Team 1/26) as an adjunct to Operation PRAIRIE. BLT 1/26's area was about 8 miles NE of Dong Ha, and began with an amphibious landing and a heliborne landing some six miles inland west of Highway 1.

BLT 1/26's Recon Group (1st Plt, 3rd Force Recon Co and 1st Plt, A Co, 5th Recon Bn) was detached from BLT 1/26 and attached directly to Commander, Landing Force, for operations as directed. The Force Recon Marines were held in reserve while 1st Plt A/5th Recon was inserted for recon operations. At about 1330 15 Sep 1966, there was a meeting engagement between the recon platoon and an NVA company. The contact developed into a vicious fight during which only artillery and air support prevented the NVA from overrunning the outnumbered recon platoon. Two hours after the first shot was fired the platoon was extracted by helicopter, having suffered the loss of their Platoon Leader (1stLt Walter J. Spainhour, Lenoir, NC, Silver Star), six wounded, and one missing in action - Pfc Douglas R. Mowbray of Peekskill, New York.

The 1/26 Command Chronology for 17 September 1966, two days later, contains the following:

"At 0740H the Force Recon platoon was inserted at YD282748 to conduct surveillance of the beach area. As Company A continued sweeping through the area in the vicinity of YD173652 ... Indications were that the NVA's were hastily retreating to the north.

At 0925H Company A found the body of the Recon Marine MIA under a bush. His wounds had been bandaged by the NVA but he had died from loss of blood."

"After Action Report for Operation DECKHOUSE IV/PRAIRIE",
Encl (1) to BLT 1/26 ltr Serial 003B269 dtd 26 Sep 1966

That contact was the first in what became ten days of heavy fighting for BLT 1/26's Marines and sailors. Although DECKHOUSE IV officially ended on the 18th, BLT 1/26 stayed in support of PRAIRIE until the 25th. The operation claimed at least 200 NVA killed at a cost of 37 Marines and sailors killed in action and another 167 wounded. The 37 men killed during DECKHOUSE IV were



At the time of his death, PFC Douglas Ronald Mowbray was survived by his parents, Virginia M (02/19/1923 - ) and Douglas Peter Mowbray (03/09/1922 - 12/09/1988), Peekskill, his sisters Sandra, Betty, Linda and his brothers John, David P, and Michael K Mowbray.

PFC Mowbray is buried alongside his father in Hillside Cemetery, Cortlandt Manor, Westchester County, New York.


- - The Virtual Wall, September 11, 2014

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