29 Oct 2004 DEATH LEAVES A HEARTACHE NO ONE CAN HEAL, LOVE LEAVES LIVES A MEMORY NO ONE CAN STEAL From a headstone in an Irish cemetery There are very few days that go by that I don't think of you. And I know there are no days that go by that someone doesn't think of you. I am grateful for sharing our time, our bedroom, and even the same bed when it was really cold. Lots of good stuff. Please visit my personal memorial page From his brother, Scott Read tom@souldesire.com

 

A Note from The Virtual Wall On 18 and 19 May 1967, Hotel Company, 2/9 Marines, lost nine men - Pfc James Offley on the 18th and eight men on the 19th: Cpl Richard K. Gillingham, Valatie, NY (Navy Cross) Cpl Wayne C. Harmon, Downey, CA LCpl Harold D. Shelton, Baltimore, MD Pfc Robert J. Brady, Elizabeth, NJ Pfc William J. Corbin, Joppa, MD Pfc Joseph M. Grantham, Goldsboro, NC Pfc Gregory P. Moser, Edmonds, WA Pfc James C. Offley, New Bedford, MA Pfc Alan T. Read, Bloomington, IN Mr. Scott Read identifies seven of the eight as Pfc Read's squadmates - Pfc Robert Brady is the exception. Squad leader Corporal Richard Gillingham received a posthumous Navy Cross for his actions, and an extract from his Citation outlines the circumstances facing these men: "... while serving as a Squad Leader ... on a search and destroy operation in Quang Tri Province, Corporal Gillingham's squad was taken under heavy small arms and automatic weapons fire. In the initial burst of fire, one of his men was seriously wounded and unable to move from his exposed position. ... Corporal Gillingham rushed into the open terrain to administer aid to the fallen Marine, who was twenty meters away. Although wounded three times, he courageously persisted in his efforts until he had moved his wounded fellow Marine to a secure position [before] he succumbed to his grievous wounds." The other six men from the squad who died in the ambush died as Corporal Gillingham did, fighting not only for themselves but for their brother Marines as well. The photo below, taken (as is the one at the head of this page) from Mr. Read's site, is a portion of a group photograph of India 3/26 taken in Camp Pendelton, San Diego. Pfc Read is at the top; Walter Parker, center, survived Vietnam; and LCpl Charles E. Dyke, India 3/26, was killed in action on 28 March 1967. Pfc Alan Thomas "Tom" Read is buried in Beech Grove Cemetery, Bedford, Indiana.

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