Rudolph Steven Galiana

Private First Class
I CO, 3RD BN, 1ST MARINES, 1ST MARDIV
United States Marine Corps
20 April 1947 - 21 April 1967
Los Angeles, California
Panel 18E Line 057

1ST MARDIV

1ST MARINES
Silver Star

Purple Heart, National Defense, Vietnam Service, Vietnam Campaign

The database page for Rudolph Steven Galiana

24 Aug 2007

I went to Roosevelt High School with Rudy, we were close friends. I remember Rudy in ROTC - he always looked real sharp in his uniform. I never saw Rudy after high school but learned of his death and service to our nation at our first class reunion. Rest in peace, Rudy, all us Roughriders honor you.

Carlos

Carlos X. Esqueda
cxharleyrider@verizon.netvi

A Note from The Virtual Wall

In April 1967 Fox Company, 2nd Bn, 1st Marines manned an outpost on a hill at Nui Loc Son in the Que Son Valley, running daily (and nightly) patrols to deny the valley below to the enemy.

On 21 Apr 1967, most of the company set out on a daylight patrol that took them into the village of Binh Son. As the Marines approached across the rice paddies they were ambushed by a dug-in VC Main Force battalion that enjoyed a clear line of fire across level land with little cover ... Fox 2/1 had run into a hornet's nest. Fourteen Marines were killed and 18 others wounded early in the fight, which continued until other elements of the 1st Marines and the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, arrived and flanked the VC from their fortifications.

By the time Fox 2/1 was relieved they had lost 29 men. India and Mike Companies, 3/1, lost 14 more, including Pfc Galiana.

The engagement initiated Operation UNION, a massive effort to clear the VC from the Que Son area - but an effort which had to be repeated throughout the war.



The point-of-contact for this memorial is
a friend,
Carlos X. Esqueda
cxharleyrider@verizon.netvi



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With all respect
Jim Schueckler, former CW2, US Army
Ken Davis, Commander, United States Navy (Ret)
Memorial first published on 24 Aug 2007
Last updated 09/02/2007