Richard Arthur Lameiras
Sergeant
B CO, 2ND BN, 5TH CAVALRY, 1ST CAV DIV, USARV
Army of the United States
Cambridge, Massachusetts
July 05, 1947 to March 09, 1969
RICHARD A LAMEIRAS is on the Wall at Panel W30, Line 90

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Richard A Lameiras
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Richie was an only child, devoted to his family and friends according to one web site tribute. He attended Thorndike School and grew up in the Thorndike Street, East Cambridge, neighborhood, where they played baseball, dodgeball, street hockey, and cards.. Another friend posted that Rich was engaged to be married but was killed before he could marry Patty. He drove a Red Mustang convertible his mother had bought him and he used to go to visit Patty and her mother.

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On 1 February 1969, the Division's 1st Brigade Headquarters was located at Tay Ninh and cotrolled 1st Bn 8th Cav, 2nd Bn 12th Cav, and 2nd Bn 8th Cav operating in the western Sheridan Sabre Area of Operations (AO) north of Tay Ninh City. Task force Duke, a two company force, continued ops in AO Navajo Warhorse.

Second Brigade, headquartered at Quan Loi, employed the 2nd Bn 5th Cav, 5th Bn 7th Cav, and 2nd Squadron, 2nd Mechanized (OPCON) west of An Loc vicinity of the FISHOOK (XT6090).

Third Brigade, located at Quan Loi exercising command over 1st Bn 5th Cav, 2nd Bn 7th Cav, 1st Bn 12th Cav, and 1st Bn 505th Infantry (Airborne), stretched east from Quan Loi to block enemy infiltration in vicinity of Serge's Jungle Trail.

During the first seven days of March, operations in the AO were characterized by light, scattered contacts with enemy forces. On 8 March, Landing Zone (LZ) GRANT (XT 385626), defended by the 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile), at 0030 hours, came under indirect fire attack and ground attack by the 1st Battalion, 95th VC Regiment with contact throughout the morning hours. At 0615 hours, the enemy withdrew, leaving behind 157 dead and 2 Prisoner's of War (POW). U.S. losses were 13 killed in action and 31 others wounded.

Four days later, LZ Grant and the 2nd Bn, 12th Cav was again attacked by an enemy battalion sized unit. They used mortars, rockets, and ground attack which resulted in 15 U.S. Troops being killed in action and 27 others receiving wounds. The battle lasted from 0145 hours to 0330 hours with 62 enemy KIAs and 2 POWs.

In between these two attacks on LZ Grant, on 09 March 1969, Company B, 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment operating in the "Angel's Wing" area (XT 394154) along the Cambodian border in Tay Ninh Province, fought a savage battle with a reinforced battalion size element of the enemy. A Company B platoon ambush initiated the contact and the enemy assault became disorganized.

The ensuing battle, ended with the enemy withdrawing into Cambodia, and cost the enemy 34 NVA killed and numerous blood trails. There were heavy friendly casualties from that ambush platoon. Initial 1st Cav reports showed US forces had 14 men killed and 31 wounded in action. Final records show twelve U.S. soldiers died in the engagement (The other two men reported killed that night were from an engagement that same night for the 7th Cavalry Regiment).

Those lost in the ambush action were:

Also on 09 March 1969 Company B, 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, made contact with an enemy company size force located in bunkers at grid YT 255210. The company sustained light casualties (per official reports) and killed 15 enemy troops. Two US soldiers died in that engagement:

SGT Lameiras was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star and Air Medal in addition to those shown above.

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