CPL. ROBERT COPELAND
Born on Jan. 12, 1945
From BERKELEY, MISSOURI
Casualty was on Dec. 14, 1966
in QUANG TIN, SOUTH VIETNAM
HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
ARTILLERY, ROCKET, or MORTAR
Panel 13E - - Line 43Cpl. Robert Copeland served with the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, M Co. Semper Fi, Brother Marine, we will never forget.
Exerpt from 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines Command Chronology, Dec. 1966
In the early morning hours of 14 December 1966 1st Platoon, Company M located at BT 434058 was attacked by an estimated force of thirty to forty VC • Casualties were ten USMC KIA and sixteen USMC WIA. VC casualties are unknown. Pursuant to this action, during the following week Company M units were withdrawn from positions at BT4340513 and BT 452038 (Hilll 76), back to perimeter positions at the Battalion Command Post.
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Dec. 14, 1966
Sent in by Sgt. M. W. J. ZelascoOn December 14, 1966, I was a lance corporal and a fire team leader in the first squad first platoon of Mike 3/5. There were 9 Marines killed and one of our corpman whose name is Doc Jones. I always thought that we were on Hill 76 not Hill 71. I know we used to go to Hill 57 and then come back to 76, we also used to go to a village not too far from Hill 76 called No Name because on the map there was no name on the village that we used to patrol by. The morning of the attack on the Hill, I was sleeping in the tent when Suzuki came rushing in and yelled, "VC, VC... we're under attack!" I rushed out of the tent with a rifle that I thought was mine and took a fighting position just outside of the front of the tent on the right side of the entrance. I remember all kinds of explosions and rounds going off. It was so dark and you could not see anything and the tent started to burn. It was after helping some of the wounded to the other side of the Hill that was not under attack when Staff Sgt. Wilcox gave the command to form a 360, it was our last chance. Fighting continued, and we stayed in the 360 until reinforcements came.~Sgt. M. W. J. Zelasco
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Killed In Action during the VC Attack on 1st Plt. M Co. 3/5, Hill 71
14 December 1966CPL. ROBERT COPELAND
Born on Jan. 12, 1945
From BERKELEY, MISSOURI
Casualty was on Dec. 14, 1966
in QUANG TIN, SOUTH VIETNAM
HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
ARTILLERY, ROCKET, or MORTAR
Panel 13E - - Line 43PFC. KEITH O'NEIL ELLEDGE
Born on Nov. 10, 1947
From ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA
Casualty was on Dec. 14, 1966
in QUANG TIN, SOUTH VIETNAM
HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
GUN, SMALL ARMS FIRE
Panel 13E - - Line 44PFC. ROLAND PHILIPPE GUERETTE
Born on Mar. 23, 1947
From LEWISTON, MAINE
Casualty was on Dec. 14, 1966
in QUANG TIN, SOUTH VIETNAM
HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
GUN, SMALL ARMS FIRE
Panel 13E - - Line 43LCPL. RICHARD JAMES HASTREITER
Born on May 22, 1947
From ROME CITY, INDIANA
Casualty was on Dec. 14, 1966
in QUANG TIN, SOUTH VIETNAM
HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
ARTILLERY, ROCKET, or MORTAR
Panel 13E - - Line 44LCPL. WALTER EDWIN HERRMANN III
Born on Jan. 25, 1947
From BUENA PARK, CALIFORNIA
Casualty was on Dec. 14, 1966
in QUANG TIN, SOUTH VIETNAM
HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
GUN, SMALL ARMS FIRE
Panel 13E - - Line 44HN WALTER HOLT JONES II
Born on Sept. 12, 1947
From ORLANDO, FLORIDA
Casualty was on Dec. 14, 1966
in QUANG TIN, SOUTH VIETNAM
HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
ARTILLERY, ROCKET, or MORTAR
Panel 13E - - Line 44PFC. LEAMON RAY LADD
Born on Aug. 20, 1945
From CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
Casualty was on Dec. 14, 1966
in QUANG TIN, SOUTH VIETNAM
HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
ARTILLERY, ROCKET, or MORTAR
Panel 13E - - Line 45PFC. KENNY RYOSUKE SUZUKI
Born on Aug. 19, 1943
From SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA
Casualty was on Dec 14, 1966
in QUANG TIN, SOUTH VIETNAM
HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
OTHER EXPLOSIVE DEVICE
Panel 13E - - Line 45PFC. RANDALL ALLEN VANATTA
Born on Dec. 2, 1946
From THURMAN, IOWA
Casualty was on Dec. 14, 1966
in QUANG TIN, SOUTH VIETNAM
HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
ARTILLERY, ROCKET, or MORTAR
Panel 13E - - Line 46PFC. CHARLES EMANUEL WATKINS
Born on Apr. 16, 1948
From MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE
Casualty was on Dec. 14, 1966
in QUANG TIN, SOUTH VIETNAM
HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
ARTILLERY, ROCKET, or MORTAR
Panel 13E - - Line 46**************************************
More information on the Dec. 14, 1966 attack of the 1st Platoon M Co. on Hill 71
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