HN
Russell L. Wright III
Born
on July 9, 1947
From RICHMOND, VIRGINIA
Casualty was on Sept. 3, 1968
in QUANG NAM, SOUTH VIETNAM
Panel 45W - - Line 34
"Doc" Russell Wright served with the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, Mike Company. He was Killed In Action during Operation MAMELUKE THRUST. His name stands proudly on the Mike 3/5 Wall of Honor alongside the Marines he gave his life to save. We will never forget.
You Are Missed, My Friend
My name is Gerald Wells, former Marine 1960-1969. I was discharged 26 March 1969 as E-6 Staff Sgt. I first met Russell when he was a civilian in 1966. He was a hip young man dating a 16-year-old girl who was to become my sister-in-law the last day of 1967. I had just return from WestPac as an 0846 artillery forward observer attached to 1-1, 1-3, and 1-9. My unit was A-1-12.
Over the course of the next 15 months or so, I got to know Russell and his mother and father. He often talked about joining the Corps, and I tried to talk him out of it. I was sure he would end up in Nam as a 0311. At some point in time he broke up with Michele, my soon to be sister-in-law, and I did not see him until Christmas Eve night 1967. I turned into a parking lot of a Catholic church driving my 1965 Triumph Spitfire (red), and there was Russell. He recognized my car, and I was so glad he did for it would be the last time I ever saw him.
I was with my girlfriend who I would elope with and marry 6 days later. We were delighted to see Russell. He told me he had taken my advice and not joined the Corps, but had joined the Navy and they were making him a Corpsman. He was in training at Quantico, Va. In civilian life he had trained to be a mortician. He was a darn ditty bopper who played a mean sax, and I always found it hard to believe this guy was learning to be a mortician.
It was a cold evening, and we chatted a few minutes, and he went into Christmas Mass, and we drove off somewhere. Less than 10 days later, I was married and on a Med. cruise attached to 3/8. It seems to me that sometime in March my wife Jackie wrote me with the dreadful news that Russell had been killed in Vietnam. I had lost so many of my own friends there that I had served with, and now Russell.
I know later he was awarded the Bronze Star. His death has always haunted me. He didn't have to go, but like I had done and thousands before and after he went. Any information about Russell would be greatly appreciated by my wife and I. Thanks and good luck.
Semper Fi,
Jerry Wells*****************************************************
Also Killed In Action on 3 Sept. 1968
Cpl. Ricky Jerome Almanza (Silver Star)
M Co. 3/5
Born on Oct. 16, 1947
From MOLINE, ILLINOIS
Casualty was on Sept. 3, 1968
in QUANG NAM, SOUTH VIETNAM
HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
GUN, SMALL ARMS FIRE
Panel 45W - - Line 30
Memorial pageSSgt. George John Belancin
M Co. 3/5
Born on Apr. 18, 1937
From PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA
Casualty was on Sept. 3, 1968
in QUANG NAM, SOUTH VIETNAM
HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
GUN, SMALL ARMS FIRE
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Memorial pageLCpl. Larry Dale Coats
M Co. 3/5
Born on Aug. 1, 1948
From TWIN FALLS, IDAHO
Casualty was on Sept. 3, 1968
in QUANG NAM, SOUTH VIETNAM
Non-Hostile, died of illness/injury
GROUND CASUALTY
MALARIA
Panel 45W - - Line 31Pfc. Paul Edward Hyland
M Co. 3/5
Born on Nov. 15, 1946
From DALLAS, TEXAS
Casualty was on Sept. 3, 1968
in QUANG NAM, SOUTH VIETNAM
HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
OTHER EXPLOSIVE DEVICE
Panel 45W - - Line 32
Memorial pagePfc. Timothy Edward Shanower
M Co. 3/5
Born on June 11, 1948
From PERRYSBURG, OHIO
Casualty was on Sept. 3, 1968
in QUANG NAM, SOUTH VIETNAM
HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
GUN, SMALL ARMS FIRE
Panel 45W - - Line 34
Memorial pagePfc. Michael Donvian Wilson
M Co. 3/5
Born on Mar. 9, 1948
From LIMA, OHIO
Casualty was on Sept. 3, 1968
in QUANG NAM, SOUTH VIETNAM
HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
GUN, SMALL ARMS FIRE
Panel 45W - - Line 35
Memorial page****************************************************
(Background and FMF Corpsman Memorial graphic by Redeye)
(3/5 Corpsman graphic by Vic Vilionis, 7th Marines)
