M
Co. 3/5 Marines 1969
Kneeling (L to R) Capt. Burns, Lt. Ted Lewis
Standing (L to R) Lt. Ed Browder, Lt. Jim Treadwell
Ed
Browder, Mike 3/5
Served as Platoon Commander M Co 3/5 after transferring from 1st Force
Recon where I helped Capt. Burns bring back 3 from Mike Co. who made
the ultimate sacrifice. Semper Fi, Ed Browder
(click to enlarge)
Mike Co. Marines, 1969
Left picture: Ed Browder and Rick Nappi
Right picture: Lt. Jim Treadwell and Lt. Joe Coyne
This
is not the 1st Force logo that we used in Vietnam. That was a skull
and cross bones with crossed rifles in the background and the words,
Swift, Silent, Deadly. We of course changed it to: Swift, Silent,
Surrounded!!
5
March 1969
On
Operation TAYLOR COMMON, Mike Company 3/5 was attempting to recover
the bodies of three dead Marines that lay directly in front of an
enemy fortified position. There had been numerous unsuccessful attempts
that had cost many casualties.
I
led the Force Recon platoon (Special Ops) that retrieved Sgt. Leslie
Thompson and two other Marines' bodies, Dennis Merryman and Ronald
Christianson. On two other occasions, prior to our insertion by ladder
(150 feet attached to the bottom of a CH-46 helicopter), there were
attempts at getting the bodies out, but they were shot out of the
LZ by enemy fire. After much bombing, defoliates (Agent Orange), and
the dropping of CS Crystals ( a very potent tear gas) on the area,
my platoon took off at 1030 hrs. on 4 April '69 to fly the 20 to 25
minutes to the area in order to get the Marines.
(click to enlarge)
2nd
Platoon, 1st Force Recon
Five
of those troops retrieved the bodies off Hill 332. That is a very
young Ed Browder in the right rear with the "butter bar' on the
cover. Three troops from Mike went with us, Capt. Burns, CO; Lankalais;
and another whose name escapes me now.
(click to enlarge)
This
is the chopper that took us to Hill 332 for the body recovery. Those
are my troops and 3 of Mike's troops, including Capt. Burns on the
ladder. The first ladder insert in Marine Corps history
When
we got to Hill 332, we were inserted by ladder into a blown out area
through the canopy. Three Marines were with our platoon (usually 6
men) from Mike Company: Capt. Burns, Company Commander; LCpl. Westphal;
and Pfc. Lakalis. The "Mike" Marines took us to the area.
We found the bodies very close together, no mutilation (they were
where they had first fallen) with their weapons intact, including
an M-79 grenade launcher and its ammo bag full of "blooper"
rounds.
The
enemy had been regular NVA. Bodies untouched and gear left. I'm
sure they (NVA) had to clear the area fast as return fire, artillery
strikes and air strikes came to bear, so that Mike Company could safely
clear the area.
Operation TAYLOR COMMON
Sgt. Leslie
Thompson Memorial page
(click to enlarge)
3rd Battalion, 5th Marines Reunion 2003
LaGrange, Georgia
On
17 May 2003, Sgt. Leslie Thompson's Family was presented with a shadowbox
of his medals. Marines escorting the family are Tom Mahlum, Ed Browder
and Paul O'Connell.
October
2002 Mini Reunion
Ed Browder and M Co. 3/5 Marines together again after 33 years!
(click to enlarge)
L to R: Randy Pelt, Danny Hovanesian, Ed Browder and Paul
O'Connell
(click to enlarge)
L to R Kneeling: Joe Coyne, Danny Hovanesian
L to R Standing: Randy Pelt, Ted Lewis, Ed Browder, Jim Treadwell,
Tom Mahlum
(click to enlarge)
Ed Browder at the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines Reunion 2003
La Grange, Georgia
Mike
3/5 website
(Background
by Redeye)
