Our classmate James (Jamie) McKenzie was Killed In Action (KIA) on 4 September 1967 shortly after arriving in-country Vietnam in 1967. This would have been McKenzie’s first tour in Vietnam.
Jamie McKenzie was assigned to Mike Company, 3/5 Marines when he was KIA during a very fierce battle of Operation Swift on 4 September 1967. During that operation Company M was providing flank security for their Battalion Command Group when a large North Vietnamese Army (NVA) force heavily engaged it. This was an especially hard day for Mike Company, on the day Jamie was killed; Mike Company alone suffered sixteen KIAs along with two who were awarded the Medal of Honor and two who were awarded the Navy Cross. http://www.combatwife.net/swiftkias.htm
On the day Jamie McKenzie was killed his unit, Mike Company Along With Kilo Company, was advancing across open rice paddies towards entrenched NVA positions. 1st Platoon of Mike Company ran into an L-shaped ambush. 2nd Platoon was sent in to rescue and was immediately attacked by a full company of NVA. While 1st Platoon was able to retreat back to the main Company position, the 2nd couldn't disengage. In this fight SGT Lawrence Peters won his Medal of Honor, awarded posthumously, in leading his men in repulsing repeated attempts to overrun his position. Navy Chaplain 1LT Vincent Capadonno was with 2nd Platoon and also was awarded a posthumous Medal of Honor for his efforts in pulling wounded men to safety in face of overwhelming enemy fire. Relief came in the evening when an A-6 silenced an Anti Aircraft (AA) gun emplacement, allowing more air support. The NVA withdrew during the night. 1LT Murray, the company commanding officer was awarded a Navy Cross for his actions during this day.
Cathie Sherman (Greer) (1965)
Our classmate James (Jamie) McKenzie was Killed In Action (KIA) on 4 September 1967 shortly after arriving in-country Vietnam in 1967. This would have been McKenzie’s first tour in Vietnam.
Jamie McKenzie was assigned to Mike Company, 3/5 Marines when he was KIA during a very fierce battle of Operation Swift on 4 September 1967. During that operation Company M was providing flank security for their Battalion Command Group when a large North Vietnamese Army (NVA) force heavily engaged it. This was an especially hard day for Mike Company, on the day Jamie was killed; Mike Company alone suffered sixteen KIAs along with two who were awarded the Medal of Honor and two who were awarded the Navy Cross. http://www.combatwife.net/swiftkias.htm
On the day Jamie McKenzie was killed his unit, Mike Company Along With Kilo Company, was advancing across open rice paddies towards entrenched NVA positions. 1st Platoon of Mike Company ran into an L-shaped ambush. 2nd Platoon was sent in to rescue and was immediately attacked by a full company of NVA. While 1st Platoon was able to retreat back to the main Company position, the 2nd couldn't disengage. In this fight SGT Lawrence Peters won his Medal of Honor, awarded posthumously, in leading his men in repulsing repeated attempts to overrun his position. Navy Chaplain 1LT Vincent Capadonno was with 2nd Platoon and also was awarded a posthumous Medal of Honor for his efforts in pulling wounded men to safety in face of overwhelming enemy fire. Relief came in the evening when an A-6 silenced an Anti Aircraft (AA) gun emplacement, allowing more air support. The NVA withdrew during the night. 1LT Murray, the company commanding officer was awarded a Navy Cross for his actions during this day.
Source: USMC Combat Histories http://www.combatwife.net/combathistories.htm
Tribute written by Clark Wilson, Class of 1965.