ROBERT LOGAN WICKLIFFE
HM3 Roderick J. Pierce states,  This photo has stirred a lot of memories for me.  The individual to my right looks like HM3 Robert L. "Bob" Wickliffe, India Company Senior Corpsman, who was a casualty of a mortar round at the main LZ (in the vicinity of the 106 recoilless rifles) on 22 January 1968.  Because of the sand bags I see in this photo, we are, in all likelihood, back on Hill 881 S after the costly engagement between 881 S and 881 N (21 Jan), and now the actual siege has begun. 

To remember Doc Wickliffe's bravery with a recollection permanently etched in my memory, on 22 January he was first at the scene on the LZ, after a mortar round landed in the middle of a working party of Marines, who were retrieving supplies from a helicopter drop.  Bob's bunker was immediately east of the LZ and he responded quickly to the attack, just as a second mortar round hit the LZ, and which mortally wounded Bob.  I was in a bunker just south and below the LZ, and was a few seconds behind Bob to arrive at the scene.

ROBERT LOGAN WICKLIFFE

HM3 - E4 - Navy - Regular
22 year old Single, Caucasian, Male
Born on Oct 29, 1945
From NATCHEZ, MISSISSIPPI
Length of service 4 years.
His tour of duty began on Sep 15, 1967
Casualty was on Jan 22, 1968
in QUANG TRI, SOUTH VIETNAM
HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
OTHER EXPLOSIVE DEVICE
Body was recovered
Religion
PROTESTANT

Panel 35E - - Line 13

Comments

Arlen B. Coyle
Navy pal
Oxford, MS. 38655 USA
Doc Wickliffe was just an All American kind of guy who excelled at everything-sports, academics, the Navy, and being a Corpsman.  He was the bravest of the brave-the best this nation has to offer.
Wednesday, June 09, 1999

 

Photographs provided by:

Arlan B. Coyle, a Navy Pal


HM3  Wickliffe's name is currently aboard the Stardust spacecraft, launched Feb. 7, 1999, which visited Comet Wild-2 (pronounced Vildt-2) in 2004.  Stardust spacecraft is now returning to planet earth for recovery on 15 January 2006.  You may read more on this project here.
 

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