Robert Alan McCarthy

Private First Class
H&S CO, 2ND BN, 4TH MARINES, 3RD MARDIV
United States Marine Corps
19 October 1950 - 25 February 1969
Alden, New York
Panel 31W Line 054

3RD MARDIV

4TH MARINES
Purple Heart, National Defense, Vietnam Service, Vietnam Campaign

The database page for Robert Alan McCarthy

28 May 2006

REMEMBERED

by his Mom
amab323@yahoo.com

A Note from The Virtual Wall

Fire Support Bases NEVILLE and RUSSELL were west of Cam Lo, with NEVILLE the westernmost of the two. In late February 1969, NEVILLE was occupied by Golf Btry 3/12 with Hotel Company, 2/4 as a security force. Five miles to the east, FSB RUSSELL had Hotel and Mortar Btries, 3/12, and elements of 2/4 as a security force - primarily Echo 2/4, but also elements of H&S Company.

In the early morning hours of 25 Feb 1969 both bases were hit hard by NVA sappers - about 200 from the 246th NVA Regiment at NEVILLE and an equal number from the 27th NVA Regiment at RUSSELL. In each case the attacks began with heavy mortar fire and supporting artillery fire from within the DMZ, followed by a ground attack clearly intended to destroy the artillery pieces in their gun pits. In each case the enemy partially overran the base, and in each case the Marines drove them out again. When the sun rose, the Marines had over three dozen dead and 100+ wounded, while there were 61 enemy bodies inside the two perimeters - but the guns had sustained no serious damage and were firing.

The 27 Americans killed at FSB NEVILLE were

  • H Btry, 3rd Bn, 12th Marines
    • LCpl Kenneth R. Gilliam, Lexington, KY
    • LCpl Norman W. Kellum, Corpus Christi, TX
    • LCpl Donald R. Lewis, Maysville, KY
    • Pfc Marion W. Lyons, Brentwood, AR
    • Pfc James D. Peschel, Boulder, CO
    • LCpl Gerald Przybylinski, Buchanan, MI
    • Pfc David L. Rutgers, Marshalltown, IA
    • LCpl Larry J. Sikorski, Fairmount, ND

  • Mortar Btry, 3rd Bn, 12th Marines
    • HM2 Kenneth Davis, Zanesville, OH

  • E Co, 2nd Bn, 4th Marines
    • 2ndLt William H. Hunt, Merritt Island, FL (Silver Star)
    • Cpl Tommy N. Miller, Bethalto, IL
    • LCpl James D. Logan, Flint, MI
    • LCpl Bruce A. Saunders, Roanoke, VA
    • Pfc Robert A. Coffey, Greensburg, KY
    • Pfc Michael L. Jenkins, Covington, VA
    • Pfc Randolph R. Ramsey, Williamsfield, OH
    • Pfc Allen M. Sharp, Covington, KY

  • H&S Co, 2nd Bn, 4th Marines
    • Pfc Robert H. Brogan, Cincinnati, OH
    • Pfc Odell Dickens, Whitakers, NC
    • Pfc Douglas B. Forsberg, Minneapolis, MN
    • Pfc Juan Gaston, New York, NY
    • Pfc Robert A. McCarthy, Alden, NY
    • Pfc Norman R. Surprenant, Plainfield, CT
    • Pfc Robert H. Trail, Baltimore, MD
    • Pfc James E. Tucker, Miami, FL
    • HN Donald K. Walsh, East Lyme, CT
    • Pfc George W. Weldy, Amarillo, TX
There were 14 dead Marines at FSB RUSSELL - 11 infantrymen from 2/4 and 3 artillerymen from 3/12.




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With all respect
Jim Schueckler, former CW2, US Army
Ken Davis, Commander, United States Navy (Ret)
Memorial first published on 28 May 2006
Last updated 08/10/2009