William Allen Lee
Corporal
H&S CO, 1ST BN, 4TH MARINES, 3RD MARDIV, III MAF
United States Marine Corps
Austin, Texas
April 26, 1949 to February 16, 1968
WILLIAM A LEE is on the Wall at Panel 39E, Line 62

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Combat Action Ribbon
 

 
29 Sep 02
"On 17 February, Company B was dispatched to the site of a downed HU1E Gunship where they drove off the NVA in the area, recovered the dead and rescued the wounded crew members and passengers."
From the 1/4 Marines Operations Summary
February 1968

As nightfall approached on 16 February, one platoon of Bravo 1/4 was inserted into the area where an eight-man 3rd Force Recon Company Team had engaged at least two companies of North Vietnamese Army regulars. A UH-1E from VMO-6 had made a desperate attempt to extract the last three men of the recon team and had been shot down as it lifted off - and Bravo 1/4 provided the reaction force detailed to try to relieve the survivors of the crash.

The platoon was immediately taken under attack by superior NVA forces and forced into a defensive perimeter. The remainder of Bravo 1/4 was inserted at daybreak on 17 February and, as the Ops Summary states, recovered the dead. They also recovered the last survivor of the Box Score Team, Corporal Danny Slocum.

Corporal William A. Lee, radioman, was the only Bravo 1/4 Marine killed in action during the Box Score recovery effort; four others were wounded.


 

The Box Score Patrol

The events surrounding the Box Score patrol's engagement and the efforts to extract the team are a glowing example of Marine heroism under fire and was recognized as such at the time. Five of eight Box Score Team members, four aircrewmen from VMO-6, and one infantryman from Bravo 1/4 Marines died on 16 February 1968 and a number of others were wounded. The actions of the men involved in the engagement were recognized by one Medal of Honor, three Navy Crosses, six Silver Stars, and several Bronze Stars.

The Virtual Wall takes pride in honoring the Americans who died in the Box Score engagement, and through them the men who survived. Details of the engagement are published on the

Box Score Memorial Page

The following Marines are honored on The Virtual Wall:

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