Douglas Ronald MowbrayPrivate First Class1ST PLT, A CO, 5TH RECON BN, 1ST MARDIV United States Marine Corps 18 October 1945 - 15 September 1966 Peekskill, New York Panel 10E Line 097 |
 
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The database page for Douglas Ronald Mowbray
"SEMPER FIDELIS"To be "Always Faithful" is both the least that we oweand an exact description of what we owe to these men.
From a fellow Marine, also is remembered by his classmates on their Peekskill (NY) High School Memorial Page |
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That's my uncle. Never knew him but my father Michael told me about his story in Vietnam. He is survived by his sisters Sandra, Betty, Linda and brothers John, David, and Michael. My granma Ginny is still alive too. At first when my grandmother found out about his death she was lied to and told he was killed in casualty. Around 10 years later she found out that he was beaten and tortured severely and that is how he died. He died proud and as a soldier for the United States. He is still talked about often and lives on in all of the Mowbray family. Rest in peace, Uncle Dougy.
From his niece, |
A Note from The Virtual WallDuring the summer of 1966 the North Vietnamese Army's 324B Division had infiltrated south of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) with the clear intention of setting up a major presence in northern Quang Tri Province. The NVA 341st Division was positioned within and north of the DMZ and prepared to support the 324B Division and/or exploit opportunities arising from the 324B's operations.CG 3rd MAF, the senior US commander in northern South Vietnam, initiated Operation HASTINGS, aimed at discouraging the 324B Division and forcing it back into the DMZ (at the time, US forces could not enter into the DMZ - it was an NVA sanctuary). Heavy fighting continued through July 1966, particularly around the "Rockpile" between Khe Sanh and Camp Carroll. HASTINGS ended, and a series of recon-in-force operations - termed Operation PRAIRIE - began on 03 August 1966. Operation DECKHOUSE IV was conducted by the 7th Fleet's Special Landing Force Bravo (Battalion Landing Team 1/26) as an adjunct to Operation PRAIRIE. BLT 1/26's area was about 8 miles NE of Dong Ha, and began with an amphibious landing and a heliborne landing some six miles inland west of Highway 1. BLT 1/26's Recon Group (1st Plt, 3rd Force Recon Co and 1st Plt, A Co, 5th Recon Bn) was detached from BLT 1/26 and attached directly to Commander, Landing Force, for operations as directed. The Force Recon Marines were held in reserve while 1st Plt A/5th Recon was inserted for recon operations. At about 1330 15 Sep 1966, there was a meeting engagement between the recon platoon and an NVA company. The contact developed into a vicious fight during which only artillery and air support prevented the NVA from overrunning the outnumbered recon platoon. Two hours after the first shot was fired the platoon was extracted by helicopter, having suffered the loss of their Platoon Leader (1stLt Walter J. Spainhour, Lenoir, NC, Silver Star), six wounded, and one missing in action - Pfc Douglas R. Mowbray of Peekskill, New York. The 1/26 Command Chronology for 17 September 1966, two days later, contains the following: "At 0740H the Force Recon platoon was inserted at YD282748 to conduct surveillance of the beach area. As Company A continued sweeping through the area in the vicinity of YD173652 ... Indications were that the NVA's were hastily retreating to the north. At 0925H Company A found the body of the Recon Marine MIA under a bush. His wounds had been bandaged by the NVA but he had died from loss of blood."That contact was the first in what became ten days of heavy fighting for BLT 1/26's Marines and sailors. Although DECKHOUSE IV officially ended on the 18th, BLT 1/26 stayed in support of PRAIRIE until the 25th. The operation claimed at least 200 NVA killed at a cost of 37 Marines and sailors killed in action and another 167 wounded. The other 35 men killed during DECKHOUSE IV were
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The point-of-contact for this memorial is a fellow Marine, Dennis Quinn dennisq@worldnet.att.net 25 Aug 2002 |
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With all respect
Jim Schueckler, former CW2, US Army
Ken Davis, Commander, United States Navy (Ret)
Last updated 12/09/2005