3RD MARDIV

3RD ENG BN

Elmer Lee Faulkner, Jr

Private First Class
A CO, 3RD ENGINEER BATTALION, 3RD MARDIV
United States Marine Corps
25 September 1948 - 18 June 1968
Greenwood, Delaware
Panel 56W Line 020

Purple Heart, National Defense, Vietnam Service, Vietnam Campaign

The database page for Elmer Lee Faulkner, Jr

29 Jan 2007

REMEMBERED

by a cousin,
James T. Faulkner, Jr.
E-Mail will be forwarded by the
Webmaster@VirtualWall.org

A Note from The Virtual Wall

During the latter half of June 1968 the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines were providing security for the Khe Sanh Combat Base. During the early morning hours of 18 June 1968 The Kilo 3/4 position came under attack. The following description is taken from 3/4's Command Chronology:
"18 June: 3/4 received an attack from an estimated NVA company from the 88th Regiment of the 308th Division. At 0555H Co "K" received a light probe and called in illumination mixed with high explosive. At 0610H, Co "K" received the main thrust of the attack. The enemy crawled to within 30 feet of the lines before launching their attack. The attack was supported by 82mm mortars and rocket-propelled grenades. The NVA were able to penetrate the FEBA. Co "M" was informed by Col BOURNE to displace one platoon OPCON to Co "K". At 0620, an Aerial Observer came on station and observed one group of 25 to 30 NVA and numerous smaller groups of eight to ten NVA at XD875264. He called in fixed wing air strikes and Huey gun ships. The attack continued until 0945. The NVA left snipers and automatic weapons behind to try to cover their withdrawal. ... At 1030, Co "K" with the platoon from Co "M" were able to restore the FEBA and tie in with Co "I". ... At 1215, units began to sweep the battlefield and to clear out the remaining pockets of resistance. At 1417, the sweep was completed ... The casualties were 14 KIAs and 30 WIAs. There were 129 NVA KIAs confirmed (91 small arms, 25 artillery, 13 air)."
Fifteen American dead can be associated with the fight, including two combat engineers. They are
  • A Co, 3rd Engineers
    • Pfc Elmer L. Faulkner, Greenwood, DE
    • Pfc Calvin L. Terrell, Louisville, KY

  • H&S Co, 3rd Bn, 4th Marines
    • LCpl Carey L. Johns, Oneonta, AL (with Kilo 3/4)
    • Pvt James E. Degnis, Worcester, MA (with Kilo 3/4)

  • K Co, 3rd Bn, 4th Marines
    • SSgt Albert R. Taylor, Springville, CA
    • Cpl Fergus J. Carroll, Philadelphia, PA
    • Cpl James M. Mathews, Butler, NJ
    • LCpl Steven B. Lavigne, Cheboygan, MI
    • LCpl Elwood Owens, Windsor, NC
    • LCpl Rito Silva, Alice, TX
    • Pfc Robert L. Ball, Trenton, NJ
    • Pfc Ronald D. Fogard, Battle Lake, MN
    • Pfc William T. Gibson, Easton, PA

  • M Co, 3rd Bn, 4th Marines
Pfc Faulkner's name is engraved on a plaque which hangs in the Company command post of Combat Engineer Company, Combat Assault Battalion, 3d Marine Division on Camp Schwab, Okinawa, Japan. CEC was Company C, 3d Engineer Battalion, and is the only part of the Battalion which has not been deactivated. The crest at the top of this page is derived from the emblem on that plaque.


The point-of-contact for this memorial is
a cousin,
James T. Faulkner, Jr.
E-Mail may be forwarded via the
Webmaster@VirtualWall.org



Top of Page

Virtual Wall icon
www.VirtualWall.org

Back to
To alpha index F
DE State Index . Panel 56W
3RD ENG BN Index

Webmaster@VirtualWall.org



With all respect
Jim Schueckler, former CW2, US Army
Ken Davis, Commander, United States Navy (Ret)
Memorial first published on 29 Jan 2007
Last updated 02/08/2007