IN MEMORY
We salute those who fell in battle

RICHARD LEE SANDERS (AKA Doc, Sandy, Dick) was a medic with HHC & A Company, 2/39th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division. He was born June 23, 1945, in Santa Maria, California. He graduated from Santa Maria High School in 1964 and went to Vietnam August 17, 1967. He was stationed at Bearcat and was killed in action at the age of 22, November 24, 1967, the day after Thanksgiving. Corporal Sanders was killed in the northern portion of Bien Hoa on the second day of a three day search and destroy mission. His company was approaching a small ridge when they came under intense automatic and semi-automatic weapons fire from a well concealed and determined company of Viet Cong. Seeing several of his comrades fall in the initial burst of enemy fire, Corporal Sanders rushed to them. He rendered aid and began carrying wounded men to a position of relative safety. Without regard for his own safety, he hurried back to the scene and began administering aid to a wounded comrade who was unconscious. Regaining consciousness, the wounded soldier became hysterical and started to run toward his unit. Corporal Sanders dove at him in an attempt to keep him in a position that afforded some cover...it was then that both Corporal Sanders and his companion were mortally wounded by automatic weapons fire. Corporal Richard Lee Sanders received the Bronze and Silver Stars for his heroic actions.

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RODNEY SANDERS Rank and Organization: SP4, U.S. Army, D Company, 6th Battalion, 31st Infantry, 9th Infantry Division Place and Date of Casualty: Tnaot, Cambodia, 10 May 1970 Home of Record: Phoenix City, Alabama RODNEY SANDERS of the 3d Platoon, a quiet soldier transferred to us from the 1st Infantry Division when that unit went home. Rodney was at the far left of his squad on a night ambush position when they came under fire from a nearby treeline where enemy soldiers had observed the squad going into position after dark. He was killed by a single bullet from an AK-47 rifle as he turned to take a more advantageous position to return fire. Information Submitted by Karl Lowe

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MATTHEW F SHARPNACK Rank and Organization: Sergeant, E-4, US ARMY, Regular, Company A, 2/39 Infanty, 9th Infantry Division Place and Date of Casualty: Bien Hoa, South Vietnam, 24 November 1967 Home of Record: Williamsport, PA Date of Birth: 26 November 1946

ROBERT FRANCIS STEVENS Rank and organization: Specialist Fifth Class, E-5, U.S. Army, Regular, 9th Infantry Division. Place and date of casualty: Long An, Republic of Vietnam, 10 June 1967. Entered service at: Norwalk, Connecticut Born: 18 February 1944, Norwalk, Connecticut NOTE: The family of Robert Francis Stevens is seeking information concerning the circumstances of his death. If you have any information please send to: vietnam67@worldnet.att.net Information submitted by Sandy Maroney

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CHARLIE EARL THOMPSON Rank and Organization: Sergeant, E-4, US ARMY, Selective Service, 9th Infantry Division Place and Date of Casualty: Tay Ninh, South Vietnam, 18 March 1967 Home of Record: Dallas, Texas Date of Birth: 6 February 1946 Information Submitted by Anthony J. LaRocca

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MORGAN WEED Rank and Organization: 1 Lieutenant U.S. Army, D Company, 6th Battalion, 31st Infantry, 9th Infantry Division Place and Date of Casualty: Tnaot, Cambodia, 10 May 1970 Home of Record: Decatur, Alabama MORGAN REED was Platoon Leader of the 3d Platoon, a well-liked officer whose shock of blond hair could always be seen in the thick of things, shedding his helmet to unencumber his vision and mobility. On 10 May 1970, his platoon was left at the edge of Tnaot to react to the left or right, depending on what the 2d Platoon found there. When the 2d Platoon became heavily engaged and needed more grenades and light antitank weapons to attack enemy bunkers, Morgan collected the munitions from his own platoon and dragged them forward in a poncho. Seeing Cliff Macomber bravely leading the effort to extricate one of his squads from an ambush site, Morgan joined the fight, standing erect beside Cliff and firing at another bunker to keep its occupant pinned down long enough for other men to assault the bunker with hand grenades. An explosion occurred just behind Cliff and Morgan, knocking them both forward and wounding several others. Morgan was struck in the back of the head, but remained conscious. As men of the 2d Platoon placed him on a poncho to carry him to a safer place for evacuation, he said "I'll be alright, take care of the others." He died the next day at the 24th Evacuation Hospital in Vietnam. His wife gave birth to their daughter just a few days later. Information Submitted by Karl Lowe

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ROBERT LOUIS WESTFALL, JR. Rank and Organization: Corporal, E-3, U.S. Army, Selective Service, 9th Infantry Division Place and Date of Casualty: Binh Long, South Vietnam, 18 March 1967 Home of Record: Higbee, Missouri Date of Birth: 25 March 1947 Information Submitted by Anthony J. LaRocca

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THOMAS MICHAEL WHITMAN Rank and Organization: Corporal, E-3, U.S. Army, Selective Service, 9th Infantry Division Place and Date of Casualty: Binh Long, South Vietnam, 18 March 1967 Home of Record: New York, New York Date of Birth: 5 December 1945 Information Submitted by Anthony J. LaRocca