Peter Gary Scavuzzo

Lance Corporal
H CO, 2ND BN, 7TH MARINES, 1ST MARDIV
United States Marine Corps
10 October 1946 - 04 March 1966
Toms River, New Jersey
Panel 05E Line 107

1ST MARDIV

7TH MARINES
Peter G Scavuzzo

Purple Heart, National Defense, Vietnam Service, Vietnam Campaign

The database page for Peter Gary Scavuzzo

15 Aug 2002

REMEMBERED ACROSS THE YEARS

by a fellow veteran.

E-mail address is not available.

01 Feb 2003

Peter and I served together - he was my friend.

We were in the same company and I was in the same battle. Every Memorial Day, Veterans' Day, and Marine Corps Birthday I think of Peter. He was lost, but he is not forgotten! SEMPER FI, old friend, until we meet again. By the way, for any who read this, Peter died bravely on the field of battle!

Michael E Golden



29 May 2006

I think of you often, but not so much as today!!!

From a friend,
Michael E Golden
2934 Burlington Ave, St Petersburg, FL 33713
mgold2@tampabay.rr.com

A Note from The Virtual Wall

Operation UTAH involved the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines; the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines; and elements of the ARVN Airborne Battalion. These units were tasked with locating, fixing, and destroying two reinforced battalions of the 36th NVA Regiment dug in around the Chau Ngai village complex about 6 miles northwest of Quang Ngai City in Quang Ngai Province. D-Day for Op Utah was 04 March 1966.

On that date the ARVN Airborne Battalion elements led the way into several landing zones near Chau Ngai, followed by the 2/7 Marines. The Marines almost immediately found themselves engaging entrenched NVA troops in what rapidly became a bitter close-quarter fight. The last significant fighting was at 2145; by the next morning the enemy had withdrawn from the area, leaving over 140 NVA/VC bodies on the battlefield. That was usual; the NVA/VC were normally meticulous in taking their dead with them whenever possible. The 2/7 Command Chronology states the 2/7 Marines lost 43 men killed in action and 84 wounded in action on 04 March 1966. Corporal Lester A. Wesighan, a combat photographer from HQ 3rd MarDiv, was killed in action during the 2/7 fight at Chau Ngai, making the total US loss 44 men. Seventeen of those men were from Hotel 2/7:

  • Cpl Henry J. Hooper, Reidsville, NC
  • LCpl Raymond Blanchette, Tolland, CT
  • LCpl Rupert S. Carven, Newton, MA
  • LCpl John J. Edwards, Lock Haven, NY
  • LCpl Andrew L. Hastings, Lemay, MO
  • LCpl Klaus J. Herms, San Dimas, CA
  • LCpl William J. Hrinko, Worthington, OH
  • LCpl Peter G. Scavuzzo, Toms River, NJ
  • LCpl Robert L. Smith, Newport News, VA
  • Pfc Richard G. Allen, Long Beach, CA
  • Pfc William Johnson, Dallas, TX
  • Pfc Lewis A. Kimmel, Camarillo, CA
  • Pfc Franz J. Kolbeck, Deerfield, IL
  • Pfc Vinford F. Michael, New York, NY
  • Pfc Henry D. Odom, Eldorado, OK
  • HA Samuel G. Orlando, Birmingham, MI (Navy Cross)
  • Pfc Charles R. Wetzel, Penns Grove, NJ

On 05 March the withdrawing NVA forces encountered the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, which had established blocking positions astride the NVA's probable withdrawal routes. That too became an exceedingly bitter fight, with 42 Marines and sailors from 3/1 killed in action.





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With all respect
Jim Schueckler, former CW2, US Army
Ken Davis, Commander, United States Navy (Ret)
Memorial first published on 15 Aug 2002
Last updated 08/10/2009