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Mike Fishbaugh
06-17-09, 07:50 AM
Happy Birthday (110) to our beloved Corpsman, for taking care of us all these yrs.
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*CRUSE, JAMES DALE
Citation:
The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross (Posthumously) to James Dale Cruse (1392506), Hospitalman, U.S. Navy, for extraordinary heroism in action on 15 June 1968 while serving as a Corpsman with Company M, Third Battalion, Fourth Marines, THIRD Marine Division (Reinforced), Fleet Marine Force, in connection with operations against enemy aggressor forces in the Republic of Vietnam. Hospitalman Cruse's platoon was conducting a search and destroy operation near the Khe Sanh Combat base when the platoon suddenly came under intense automatic-weapons fire from a large North Vietnamese Army Force. During the initial moments of the fire fight, lead elements of the platoon were pinned down in an open area, and the two point men were seriously wounded. Disregarding his own safety, Hospitalman Cruse unhesitatingly advanced from his position of relative safety and maneuvered across the fire-swept terrain to assist his injured comrades. Upon reaching the first casualty, he efficiently rendered medical aid and spoke words of comfort and encouragement before moving forward to the other Marine casualty who lay exposed to enemy fire. While treating and comforting the second wounded Marine, Hospitalman Cruse was himself mortally wounded. By his courage, bold initiative, and selfless devotion to duty, he served to inspire all who observed him and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
Authority: Navy Department Board of Decorations and Medals
Home Town: Paducah, Kentucky
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The President of the United States

NAVY CROSS
posthumously to
WILLIAM IVAN MERCER
Hospital Corpsman Second Class
United States Navy

for service as set forth in the following
CITATION:
For extraordinary heroism on 15 June 1968 while serving as Senior Corpsman of Company M, Third Battalion, Fourth Marines, Third Marine Division (Reinforced), Fleet Marine Force, in connection with operations against enemy aggressor forces in the Republic of Vietnam. While conducting a sector of the battalion defense perimeter, Company M became heavily engaged with a large North Vietnamese Army force near Khe Sanh, and sustained numerous casualties. Reacting instantly, Petty Officer Mercer began assisting the injured Marines to a covered area for treatment, ensuring their further movement to the battalion landing zone for medical evacuation. On many occasions, he unhesitatingly moved to the points of heaviest contact and maneuvered about the fire-swept terrain to treat men who lay wounded in their fighting holes or the perimeter. When a platoon was assigned the mission of searching the area forward of friendly positions, Petty Officer Mercer voluntarily accompanied this unit and subsequently came under accurate enemy sniper fire. Upon observing a seriously wounded Marine, he fearlessly left his covered position and maneuvered across the hazardous area to the side of his injured comrade. Completely disregarding his own safety, Petty Officer Mercer shielded the man with his own body as he administered first aid, and then carried him to a position of relative safety. Alertly observing another casualty lying in an area dangerously exposed to the intense fire, Petty Officer Mercer rushed to his aid, and again selflessly used his own body to protect the Marine from the hostile fire impacting around them. While administering medical treatment to his comrade, Petty Officer Mercer was fatally wounded by the North Vietnamese fire. By his daring initiative, exceptional valor, and inspiring actions, he was directly responsible for saving the lives of several wounded men. His selfless devotion to duty was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
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The 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines began June 1968 with its four rifle companies garrisoning several hilltops in the vicinity of the Khe Sanh Combat Base, Hill 689 among them. However, it had been decided that the Khe Sanh Combat Base should be evacuated and to that end operations were planned to disrupt the North Vietnamese Army's infrastructure in the areas surrounding Khe Sanh so the NVA would be less able to interfere as the combat strength at Khe Sanh was drawn down.

The 3/4 Marines were assigned responsibility for sweeping a known NVA base area located to the southeast of Hill 678, about 13 kilometers south of Khe Sanh - and they left their hilltops to make a combat assault into thXXevalXXley on 11 June. As it happened, the selected landing zone was almost on top of a large NVA bunker complex, and the first company to land - Kilo 3/4 - found itself fighting from the start. There were continuous contacts during the platoon and company-size patrols on 12, 13, and 14 June, but the operation seemed to be successful - the NVA did not seem willing to stand and fight but rather withdrew as their base camps and supply caches were found and destroyed.

That changed at 0530 on 15 June. The 3/4 defensive perimeter, located about a kilometer north of Lang Up (2), was attacked by the reinforced 4th Battalion, 66th NVA Regiment. The NVA succeeded in breaking the 3/4 perimeter in the Mike Company area, but by 0730 the breach had been eliminated and Kilo Company was sweeping in front of the Mike 3/4 lines. Sporadic fighting continued until midafternoon. The attack and its aftermath left 16 Marines and sailors dead, 58 wounded evacuated (one of whom died), and one man from Kilo 3/4 missing (found dead on 16 June). The NVA left 158 bodies and 13 POWs behind them. The Americans who died in the attack were

H&S Co, 3rd Bn, 4th Marines
HN James D. Cruse, Paducah, KY (Navy Cross)
LCpl Paul V. McHenry, Camp Hill, PA


K Co, 3rd Bn, 4th Marines
LCpl Robert J. Wills, New Castle, PA
Pfc Aloysius F. Spiczka, Minneapolis, MN


L Co, 3rd Bn, 4th Marines
1stLt Stephen D. Joyner, La Habra, CA
Cpl Gerald H. Lavoie, Woonsocket, RI
LCpl Donald R. Hawyer, Detroit, MI
LCpl Charles D. Smith, Smyrna, GA
Pfc David M. Bertram, Campbellsville, KY
Pfc Richard L. Fitts, Louisville, KY
Pfc Gerald McClintock, Chester, PA
Pfc Nathan Thomas, Appling, GA


M Co, 3rd Bn, 4th Marines
HM2 William I. Mercer, Los Angeles, CA (Navy Cross)
Cpl Randall T. Planchon, Long Beach, CA (Silver Star)
LCpl Richard B. Murphy, Norwood, MA
Pfc Robert F. Lopez, Phoenix, AZ
Pfc Jeffery A. Thibault, Pitman, NJ
Pfc Jackie E. Wallace, Apopka, FL


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During the 16th and 17th the 3/4 Marines again experienced only sporadic contacts, and were advised they would be lifted out of the area beginning at 0900, 18 June. That didn't happen.
At 0600 18 June elements of the 88th NVA Regiment attacked the Kilo 3/4 defensive positions, once again breaching the perimeter. By 1030 the perimeter had been restored and the Marines were sweeping in front of their positions. This attack caused the deaths of 15 Marines, but another 129 NVA bodies were found in and around the 3/4 position.

At 1515 the helo lift began. Although the NVA hit the position with more than 100 mortar rounds and 90 rounds of 152mm artillery from the NVA guns at Co Roc during the lift, there were no further US casualties.

Overall, the 3/4 Marines and its supporting engineer element lost forty Marines and sailors during the period 11-18 June
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68-06-15 HN Cruse James D 57W 24 Navy Cross M 3/4
68-06-15 1stLt Joyner Stephen D 57W 27 BS /V L 3/4
68-06-15 HM3 Mercer William I 57W 129 Navy Cross M 3/4
68-06-15 Cpl Planchon Randall T 57W 30 Silver Star M 3/4
68-06-16 Sgt Henson Clark Jr 56W 3 Silver Star D 1/26
68-06-16 LCpl Sivak David M Silver Star L 3/26

thedrifter
06-17-09, 08:10 AM
Happy Birthday!

God Bless Our Corpsman!

Ellie

DocGreek
06-17-09, 08:15 AM
THANK YOU. Some birthdays are more difficult than others. I pray that GOD will look after the Corpsmen serving in harms way.....SEMPER FIDELIS....Doc Greek

DocGreek
06-17-09, 08:16 AM
:flag:THANK YOU. Some birthdays are more difficult than others. I pray that GOD will look after the Corpsmen serving in harms way.....SEMPER FIDELIS....Doc Greek:iwo:

ecfree
06-17-09, 08:40 AM
:flag:THANK YOU. Some birthdays are more difficult than others. I pray that GOD will look after the Corpsmen serving in harms way.....SEMPER FIDELIS....Doc Greek:iwo:
Ditto Doc,and God bless the souls of the Corpsmen and Marines who made the ultimate sacrifice...................:usmc:

Old Marine
06-17-09, 09:16 AM
Hand Salute to all the Docs.

ameriken
06-17-09, 09:29 AM
Happy Birthday Corpsmen, we salute you all. Semper Fi

charm1110
06-17-09, 07:47 PM
Happy Birthday Corpsmen:flag:

Semper Fi...:iwo: