29 May 2006 Our son gave his life to the Country 39 years ago. We still miss him, but realize he is with God now. If anyone remembers our Son, Mike Murphy, we would be so happy to hear from you. 101st Airborne, Charlie Company. From his mother, Eileen Murphy E-mail address is not available.

 

09 Feb 2007 Will Barton and Joe Ellman were my friends. My brother also went into the military with Bill and Joe. He got sick and was delayed two weeks behind Joe Ellman. Thanks to House of Representative Thomas Foley from Spokane when my brother Bob got to Vietnam he was notified that Bill and Joe had died and was given grieving time beore he started his tour. I know it must have been very devastating for Bob to learn that his two best friends had just died. I recently went to the Wall with my husband and took pictures of Bill and Joe's names and now that I look at the pictures I also captured the names of the heroic young men that died when they did. Although we can't bring them back we can hold them in our hearts forever. From a friend, Kathy Tillman Champion Oakland, Ca 94609 rags94609@sbcglobal.net

 

A Note from The Virtual Wall In May 1966 the remote CIDG camp at Toumorong, some 18 miles northwest of Dak To, came under siege by North Vietnamese Army forces. A relief effort was staged by elements of the 101st Airborne and 1st Cavalry Divisions, leading to heavy fighting during the first part of June 1966. Between 03 and 10 Jun 1966 the 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry, and the 2nd Battalion, 501st Infantry, fought several engagements against the 24th NVA Regiment in the area around the Dak Tan Kan Valley. 2/502 lost twelve men on 09/10 June while fighting on the Ngok Run Ridge which formed one border of the valley: A Company: SGT George A. Morningstar, Ocala, FL PFC Lawrence J. Deisher, Reading, PA PFC Melvin Reeder, Silverstreet, SC B Company: PFC Will P. Barton, Spokane, WA C Company: 1LT James H. Baker, Baltimore, MD SFC Robert Hanna, Philadelphia, PA SP4 Walter Williams, Cincinnati, OH PFC Joseph R. Ellman, Spokane, WA PFC Edward T. Frodsham, Seattle, WA PFC Edward Garcia, New York, NY PFC Michael T. Murphy, St Petersburg, FL PFC James E. Shuyler, Buffalo, OK, medic HQ Co with C/2/502 Several of these men were carried as Missing in Action until their bodies could be recovered on 17 June. Pfc Will P. Barton and Pfc Joseph R. Ellman were friends and high school classmates in Spokane. They were to enter basic training together, but Ellman was delayed for two weeks by a sprained ankle. He caught up with Barton during parachute training at Fort Benning and both eventually were assigned to 2/502. Both were killed in action on 09 June.

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