1st Recon Battalion Association

1st Recon Battalion Association

Thanks for stopping by today.

See You All in 2021

(God Willing)

All new updates are found at the bottom of this page.

Message Board

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Part 3

2019-2020

Message from the 1st Recon Battalion Association Membership Director & Webmaster

July 16th, 2020

I apologize to all our new & existing members for the delay in all updates to this website. But I only will do a full update every quarter. It takes 2-3 weeks per update. Check back from time to time for the completed update.

I will update the "Taps" section of this website when notified of a fallen brother or other urgent matters. Please mark your emails accordingly.

Belt Buckle

INFORMATION

Message 

1st Reconnaissance Battalion
Missions / Patrol Reports

Are you looking for your Old Patrol Reports? Check out this page on my website:

http://www.weststpaulantiques.com/reconmissions.html

Too close to whisper...
...one click for "yes", two for "no"...
"Brothers of the Bush"

----------------------------
Recon...their name is
their honor...and nothing more
need be said...Recon

Floyd Ruggles

Camp Reasoner, Da Nang

2016

1st Recon Battalion Association
"Swift. Silent. Deadly."

Check Out New Messages

Part 4 

2020


1st Recon Battalion Association
Post it Here

Meeting & Events Photgraphs


Order your Commemorative Brick(s) and submit your contact information (name, mailing address, phone number(s), and email address) along with a check or money order and your brick inscription to the 1st Recon Battalion Association at the address below. The MC Heritage Foundation will provide a proof copy of each brick inscription before it is engraved. Ensure you send your contact information in case there are questions about your inscription. Thank you for your support of the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion Memorial and Commemorative Bricks. Commemorative Brick check or money order donations should be made out to: 1st Recon Battalion Association. Send your contact information with your $215.00 donation and brick inscription to: 1st Recon Battalion Association, c/o C. Kershaw, 2527 Unicornio Street, Carlsbad, CA 92009. Call or email Charlie Kershaw with brick questions at: 760 402-8638 or invictus7@earthlink.net


1st Recon Battalion Association
Post it Here

Meeting & Events Photgraphs


Capt Thomas H. Ralph, Clifton, TX, Commanding Officer, India 3/27th

October 23, 1940 to May 17, 1968

Paul G. Barrett

1st Recon Battalion Association

"One of our Newest members sent this story/magazine article in today July 6th, 2020" Thanks Paul.

A visit to Camp Reasoner, at Hill 327, First MAR DIV, Da Nang, Vietnam 2016 

July 6th, 2020 a message from the 1st Recon Battalion Association webmaster & membership director. As you will see in the next month or two this website will be going through some changes. I apologize for any inconvenien you might experience.

Message: Im searching for marines, photos, maps, etc., that served with my uncle, PFC Robert E. Gill (Pete). KIA April 16, 1969, RVN.

Larry W Gill

gilllarryw60@gmail.com

His tour began on Dec 8, 1968, Casualty was on Apr 16, 1969
In QUANG NAM, SOUTH VIETNAM, HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
OTHER EXPLOSIVE DEVICE. Body was recovered

Robert Earl Gill
Private First Class

Mobile, Alabama

June 9th, 2020

Served with my uncle?

JUNE 10TH, 2020

Message: "ooHRah" Dan Reel I'm 74 now with a bad memory. MOS 0300. 1966 TO 67. I remember a camp reasoner a vill Di Loc. I went with 3BN 7th H&S Com. 1st Mar. Div. You've got a great group. (2258149)

Danny Reel 

danreel46@outlook.com

Welcome aboard

Lance Corporal Gary Wayne Ragsdale

50 Years Ago June 14th, 2020

March 9th, 2020

A Salute to PFC Jennings

Message: Thank you for your svc Pfc Jennings God. I salute you. Semper Fi

Msgt (Ret) Robert Carver Email: robertcarver@embarqmail.com

Alpha Company 3rd Plt. 1st Recon Bn Team: Baskerball Chu Lai SV 1966-1967

1st Recon Vietnam 68-69 Photos

How do I send my photos in for the website?

.

Bruce Britten

Valrico, Florida 33594

brittenbc@gmail.com

PHOTO GALLERY

1st Recon Battalion Association's

You can send all photos in by, 

January 29th, 2020

Bruce,

Thanks for the message sorry for the delay in responding. You can send all photos to me be email or by mail. You can find my Info. in the membership directory by clicking here.

THE RAIDER PATCH

pages 24-26 by Paul G. Barrett

Sutjeska National Park

A Note from The Virtual Wall

On 16 May 1968 India Company, 3/27 Marines, was placed under operational control of 3rd Bn, 7th Marines and inserted into the vicinity of Le Nam hamlet on Go Noi Island as part of Operation ALLEN BROOK. The remainder of 3/27 was to arrive on the 17th.Early on the 17th India 3/27 was heavily engaged with an NVA battalion and began taking serious casualties. Meanwhile, the arrival of 3/27's other rifle companies was delayed due to a lack of airlift assets; the first elements of Kilo 3/27 were not airborne until about 1300 and the lift was not completed until 1730. Even so, the arrival of the first elements relieved some pressure on India 3/27, and a move to contact by Kilo, Lima, and Mike companies allowed a link-up with India by 1930.

Overall, 29 Marines and sailors were killed in action on Goi Noi Island on 17 May, 21 of them from India 3/27:

Capt Thomas H. Ralph, Clifton, TX, Commanding Officer, India 3/27
1stLt Lanny D. Cummins, Oroville, CA
2ndLt Marcus G. Fiebelkorn, Pagosa Springs, CO
Sgt Jack B. Gorton, Culver City, CA
Sgt Nate F. Lee, Hazleton, PA
Cpl Richard Turner, Washington, DC
Cpl Jack L. White, Tacoma, WA
LCpl John A. Gibson, Chicago, IL
LCpl Allen R. Green, Hanley Hills, MO
LCpl Bernard M. Himes, Anita, PA
LCpl David L. Schettl, Manitowoc, WI
LCpl Larry J. West, Morenci, AZ
Pfc Robert L. Bauer, Port Huron, MI
Pfc Lyle P. Bills, Council Bluffs, IA
Pfc Robert C. Burke, Monticello, IL (Medal of Honor)
Pfc Albert W. Hawkins, Columbus, OH
Pfc Philip D. Miller, Grand Junction, CO
Pfc Sylvester G. Tyler, Washington, DC
Pvt Thomas H. Crook, Kansas City, MO
Pvt Bennie R. Jones, Jackson, TN
Pvt Victor J. Schweig, Chicago, IL

December 16th,2019

Subject: Old Teammates

Message: Looking for Don Cay Alpha Company 1970-71 He was Patrol Leader of Grim Reaper when he rotated. Great friend. Great

Recon Marine.

Robert D Fabian

fabiangroup@gmail.com

Thanks Bob for the message. Sorry for the delay in posting it satay safe. Floyd

July 7th, 2020

U.S. Marines in Vietnam the defining year 1968

File

THE WAR IN THE NORTHERN PROVINCES 1966-1968

by Lieutenant General Willard Pearson

PDF FILE

Charlie Kershaw

1st Recon Battalion Association

President 1st Recon Battalion Association

Donald Clay declay1023@prodigy.net -1st Recon Alpha Team Leader for Grim Reaper May 70/ March 71

This is our old information on Don Clay

Bay Lake Minnesota

RIP Tom

1st Reconnaissance Battalion
"Swift. Silent. Deadly."
1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

RECON PHOTO GALLERY

RETURN TO HILL 488 - JUNE 15, 2011

50TH ANNIVERSARY - BATTLE OF HILL 488

April 7th, 2020

Subject: Drowning

Message: I served in Shore Party '53 to '57. We sometimes shared the barracks with Recon. During maneuvers at Camp Del Mar in late '56 or early '57, I was on the beach in a support role when two, I think, rafts crashed into a jetty while attempting a night landing. They held members of the 1st Recon Bn. A number of men, I don't recall the number, were drowned, including a Captain whose body was washed up on the beach, where he was found by one of our men. Other men were caught in the riprap of the jetty and were drowned. I tried to help but could not due to the rough seas at the jetty. Ambulances came down on the beach and took survivors to hospital. I was telling my son about this tragedy, but failed to find any reports about the incident online. Perhaps one of your members knows something about this and can expound.

Thanks, Dan A Butler barneybut@gmail.com

During a night march at the Parris Island recruit depot, an exceptionally strong tidal current in Ribbon Creek swept over Marine Platoon 71, drowning six men. 8 April 1956.

Ribbon Creek incident

Echo Company

When is the next Echo Company reuion and where will it be held? Im interested in attending.  Jerry Bentley  jdblovesbbq@bellsouth.net

Subject: Membership for Reunion

January 23rd, 2020

February 4th, 2020

Message: Do we need to be a member to attend August 17 through the 22nd 2020 reunion in Washington DC if I do can you tell me what I need to do to apply. Jerry Bentley Echo Cpmpany

Jerry,

We had to cancel our 2020 reunion for Washington DC due to this COVID epidemic. But, next year we are planning a big one outside of Camp Pendleton, in Carlsbad. Hope to see all of our members at the next year's reunion God Willing.

2021 REUNION INFORMATION
Coming Soon

Membership Application

May 28th, 2020

Subject: Help finding members of Delta Company

Hello, my 2nd cousin Jeffrey Jerauld Hein served in Delta Company in Da Nang, Vietnam. He was a Radioman. He passed away in 1970 and I'd like to find a patch of Delta Company or a photo of one as I'd like to make a plaque in commemoration of him and all my relatives who served. I've had trouble finding any information about Delta Company or it's patch online. Thanks Brody Hein brodycharleshein@gmail.com

Message

Jeffrey Jerauld Hein was born on September 6, 1949. He died on February 20, 1970 at 20 years old. We know that Jeffrey Jerauld Hein had been residing in Austin, Mower County, Minnesota 55912.

July 8th, 2020

I agree with you Floyd this Tom R. Fife obituary was not a Marine. He was a flight attendant "nothing wrong with being a flight attendant".The Tom R. Fife a Recon Brother with 22 years of Marine service was found according to the internet and they have his contact information. Hopefully his paddle will be returned to him soon.

Would like to thank Tom Boland for the email it made for an interesting day yesterday. Floyd have fun and stay safe at the cabin. Hopefully we and the wives can get together soon when things settle down in the world. I miss all those Vietnam round tables. Check out this link for more information on Tom R. Fife.

Semper Fi,

Floyd

1st Recon Battalion Association, Membership Director/Webmaster 

July 7, 2020 at 7:59 AM, Tom Boland   tboland777@gmail.com

wrote: Recon Marine 22 years service. Not war Time. I can not attend. Can you?

https://www.startribune.com/obituaries/detail/12650898/

July 7, 2020 4:21 PM Floyd Nagler  floydnagler@yahoo.com

wrote: I didn't see the Marine service on the write up. I may not be back from the cabin, but will go if i am.

Email Exchanges

3rd Recon Association

Service Officer
Tom B Boland

Service Officer &

 Company B President
Floyd A. Nagler

Alpha Company

I am Terry Heuman, I was with Alpha Company 1st Recon if memory serves from Oct 69 to Sept 70. Just found this web site by accident. How would one go about becoming a member?

I sent Terry, a new membership application on July 8th, 2020

Marines Boarding Ship Bound for U.S.
1971-Da Nang, South Vietnam- U.S. Marines board a transport ship bound for the United States. Military sources say all Marine ground troops will be home by the end of the summer, ending an era of nearly six years of Marine Corps presence in Vietnam.

1st Recon Battalion

PDF File Click Here

****

****

Flags to Fly

at Half-staff

in Honor of

Navajo Code Talker

Joe Vandever, Sr.

Navajo Code Talkers

Looking for Marines

who served with my father

February 6th, 2020  Michagel M Martinez <mikemarlalovechrist@gmail.com> 

Subject: Looking for Marines who served with my father.

Message: Hello and Semper Fi. My father served with 1st Recon in Vietnam. He was at Camp Reasoner in 70 or 71 I believe. I am trying to find his fellow Recon Marines, so Ican understand better the contribution my father made for our country. He was hit with RPG near Quang Nam in Feb of 70 or 71 if I am correct. Thank you for your help.

SEMPER FI

HOORAH.

Joseph Raymond Martinez

Echo Company

February 25th, 1970 - March 5th, 1970

Team: Coffee Time

1st Recon Battalion

Echo Company

Teammates

Coffee Time

King Dixon

Message: Sad to hear that King Dixon former company commander of both Bravo and Force companies in 1966-1967 has passed from cancer on 6th July 2020.

 

Semper Fi

Skipper

King Dixon Service Streamed live on Jul 10, 2020

Michael Dan Kellum Vietnam Photos pdf file

Michael Dan Kellum Book 1 & II

The Battle for Quang Nam Continues

Vietnam War Stories

1st Reconnaissance Battalion

Part 1 2018

Part 2 2019

Pat Karavan

*Members of the 1st Recon Battalion Association*
Below is a picture of a custom-made belt buckle, designed to be worn with the standard military style web belt. This buckle has been produced solely for the 1st Recon Battalion Association and is now offered for sale to MEMBERS of the 1st Recon Battalion Association ONLY. All monies will go to the 1st Recon Battalion Association to cover the manufacturing costs and the mailing costs.. The costs for manufacturing the buckle is $22.00/buckle; shipping costs via the USPS is $8.25/buckle. TOTAL PRICE FOR THE BUCKLE INCLUDING SHIPPING IS $32.00.
The ONLY way to obtain a buckle is to e-mail docsnidley@gmail.com I WILL NOT ACCEPT ANY OTHER TYPE OF ORDERING. The e-mails allow me to keep a list of FIRST COME FIRST SERVE. Once I have received your e-mail I will email back asking for payment via regular mail. My address is David Snider, 180 Torino Lane, Poinciana Fl, 34759. PAYMENT MUST BE BY CHECK ONLY, MADE OUT TO THE 1ST RECON BATTALION ASSOCIATION. THE BUCKLE WILL NOT BE MAILED UNLESS THE ABOVE PROCEDURE IS STRICTLY FOLLOWED.
I have a limited number from the first production.
Semper Fi
Doc

Michael Willis

YES it is I

Part 4 2020

The oldest and the biggest national park in Bosnia and Herzegovina and it is the home to the last virgin forest in Europe.  

Name: Patrick R Witzaney
Email: Pwit0001@gmail.com
Phone number: Not on website.
Subject: Vietnam service with 1st Recon Battalion
Message: I served in the 1st Recon Battalion from Nov 1968 thru June 1970 First as a member and then team leader of E-1-1. I left the Marines and returned to Canada shortly after getting back from Vietnam. I happened on your site by accident and wanted to say hello. Fifty year anniversary of my return home.
Simper Fi

July 21st, 2020

Part 5 2020

Message from, Dave Nisbeth

Email davidnisbeth@yahoo.com 

Subject: Hill 488 Book donation to Current Charlie Company Marines.

Message: Good evening fellas, I am currently taking over as Charlie Company Ops Chief and wanted to reach out to the men who have serve in the company about donating to buy Hill 488 books. I am trying to get a book per man in the company which is about $10 per book. We are sitting at 50 warfighters. Anyone interested in supporting by buying a book or two for the cause of preserving our history and insilling some pride in the current generation, please contact me at davidnisbeth@yahoo.com

Semper Fi

Dave

Dave Nisbeth book

January 7th, 2020

0ctober 14th, 2019

Email from: Rhonda Jensen  rjensen@wlgore.com

Hello,

My husband, Roger Renstcheler (now known as Shawn Jensen-birth name) served in 1st Recon, Echo Company in Vietnam in 1968 under Sgt. Major Jacques. He was pulled from the Infantry in December 1967 and sent to Recon training in Okinawa in January 1968 with 13 other Marines from Lima and Mike Companies. He later attending diving school at Sgt. Major Jacaques' recommendation. He has always referred to Recon as "Special Forces" but has recently been challenged that Marine Recon is not "Special Forces." Would you be so kind as to weigh in on this.

Thank you, Rhonda Jensen (Phone Number not on website.)

1st Reconnaissance Battalion
"Swift. Silent. Deadly."

The mission of 1st Reconnaissance Battalion is to provide task-organized forces in order to conduct amphibious reconnaissance, ground reconnaissance, battlespace shaping operations, raids, and specialized insertion and extraction.

The United States Marine Corps Reconnaissance Battalions (or commonly called Marine Division Recon) are the Special Operations Capable reconnaissance assets of Marine Air-Ground Task Force that provide division-level ground and amphibious reconnaissance to the Ground Combat Element within the United States Marine Corps.

1st Recon Special Forces?

What does Recon Marines mean?

History

Recon Battalion Overview

The Marine Recon Battalions are the eyes and ears of the Marine Divisions. Over the years they have consisted of anywhere from one to five companies, according to the perceived needs of the Division and the size of the Marine Corps at the time.

There are three active duty Recon Battalions and one Reserve. In keeping with the three Marine Divisions they support, 1st Recon Battalion is based on Camp Pendleton in California, 2nd Recon at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, and 3rd on Okinawa. Elements of 4th Recon Bn are based throughout the continental US.

Recon Battalion also provides each Marine Expeditionary Unit with a Recon platoon. Each Battalion usually has a company dedicated to MEU support. At 1st Recon Bn, it was Alpha Company.

Recon Battalion is where Recon Marines get their start after the Basic Reconnaissance Course. On average, you have to serve three years or two deployments at Recon Battalion before moving on to Force or MARSOC. Team leaders tend to be Corporals or Sergeants.

Recon Battalion Missions

The primary mission of the Recon Battalion is Reconnaissance and Surveillance in support of Division operations. Starting in 2005, limited Direct Action was added to the Battalion mission, in response to the operational demands being placed on Marine Recon in Iraq.

Reconnaissance takes multiple forms, especially as the ultimate specialty of Marine Reconnaissance is Amphibious Reconnaissance. In recent years, the amphibious nature of Marine Recon has been largely handled by the MEU platoons, as the other companies have been deploying to Iraq or Afghanistan to conduct combat operations.

Amphibious Reconnaissance is primarily connected with MEU operations, as it is geared toward, first of all, finding beach landing sites suitable for MEU assets to come ashore. The Amphibious Recon team has to know what to look for to make a beach suitable for the intended purpose.

 
Recon teams have to be able to identify multiple routes, obstacles, and landing zones for conventional forces, and communicate the details to higher, along with any other pertinent information, to include local patterns of life, any enemy movements, etc.

Under conventional models, where there is actually a Forward Edge of the Battle Area, or FEBA, the Recon Battalions’ areas of responsibility lies out to ten kilometers past the FEBA. Under the current unconventional reality, it lies anywhere in the Area of Operations that an operational commander wants to see, without necessarily exposing his interest.

Recon Battalion History and Heritage

Marine Reconnaissance as a whole can trace its heritage back to two separate units—the Marine Raider Battalions, formed in January 1942 to fill an operational role similar to the British Royal Marine Commandos, and the 1st Marine Division’s “Observation Group,” which at the time consisted of about two officers and twenty enlisted men. In 1943, the Observation Group was expanded to 98 enlisted men, and renamed the 1st Amphibious Reconnaissance Company. After their first operational experience on Apamama Island, the company was expanded again, to 20 officers and 270 enlisted men. They continued to serve in all the major landings in the Pacific for the rest of the war.

In Korea, the Amphibious Recon Company continued to fulfill its mission, landing ahead of the Inchon landing to report on the beaches, as well as raiding tunnels and railroad lines, often as far as 40 miles inside enemy lines. Following the war, in 1953, the unit was deactivated, but reactivated as 1st Recon Battalion in 1958.

Vietnam saw the Recon Battalions continuing to search for the enemy, call fire, and conduct raids, usually heliborne. Elements of 3rd Recon Battalion were among the first US Marines to land in Vietnam, coming ashore at Da Nang. Some other notable actions were Hill 488, Operation Washington, and Operation Scott Orchard.

Recon Marines from 1st Recon Bn participated in the Battle of Khafji during Operation Desert Storm. Following Desert Storm, most of the Battalion was turned over to 1st Recon Bn (Light Armored), and the remainder was redesignated 1st Recon Company.

In 2000, 1st Recon Company was again designated 1st Recon Bn. Following 9/11, 1st Recon Bn was instrumental in the initial invasion of Iraq, returning in the spring of 2004, just as the uprising in Fallujah began to gain steam. Over the next four years, the three Recon Battalions traded off, one after the other, in Iraq. 2nd Recon Bn took by far the highest casualties, particularly in 2006.

Starting in 2008, the focus shifted to Afghanistan. 2nd Recon Bn was the first to deploy as a Battalion, followed by 3rd, then 1st in 2010. The last rotation of Recon Marines to Afghanistan was cut short in the spring of 2012, as the drawdown commenced.

Recon is now sorting itself out following the end of involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan. With the MEUs taking center stage for employment, the Battalions are beginning to draw down, and are expected to remove at least a company each in the near future.

Recon Battalion Training

Recon training begins even before the Basic Reconnaissance Course. In previous years, each Recon Bn had its own Training Platoon, and its own Pre-BRC course, ranging from 2 to 4 weeks. Pre-BRC was essentially a very abbreviated rundown of what would be covered in BRC, with some of the physical challenges actually increased, on the logic that if you passed pre-BRC, they wouldn’t have to worry about you failing BRC and wasting everyone’s time.

1st Recon, Special Forces?  Yes

What does Recon Marines mean? Elite Marine Corps Unit...

Recon Battalion Organization

While the structure of Division level Recon units has changed over time, waxing and waning due to operational and organizational necessities, the present structure is of a Headquarters and Support Company, Alpha, Bravo, and Charlie Companies, and, at present, the Force Recon Company. Force is administratively still attached to the Recon Bns since being stood back up, largely because of personnel shortages in the support/enabler areas.
Each Company generally consists of three platoons (except for the Force Company, which is supposed to have up to four.) of about 25 men a piece. The platoons consist of three to four teams of five to six men, depending on operational concerns at the time, along with a command team of the Platoon Commander (a Captain), the Platoon Sergeant (a Gunnery Sergeant), the platoon corpsman, and the platoon comm chief.

The Recon Platoon is capable of working alone or with the rest of the Company or Battalion. Recon Platoons are regularly tasked to the MEU(SOC)s by themselves, and perform as the eyes and ears of the Battalion Landing Team commander for the six months at sea. Recon platoons have also been tasked out solo in combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Subject: Looking for Info re: Ed Yakamavage

Nov. 10th, 2019

Hello, My uncle Ed served in this BN and received 2 bronze stars during his service year in Vietnam. He has unfortunately developed brain problems and is no longer quite there according to his daughter (Jen) my cousin. My mom told me some stories of his contracting malaria and be medevaced to Japan, last rights and then he re-upped. Anyway I'm respectfully asking if you can put me in touch with anyone who might have served with him that would be willing to talk with me. I never served but as a child I remember going into our attic to look at his dress sword that was there. Ed also played a large role in my life as my parents split when I was young and he was responsible for kicking my ass when needed. Understand if this request can not be filled, has to ask. Thanks! And thanks for everything, this nation STILL owes you all. God bless. Jim

Message from, James O'Malley ludlowdodwalker@gmail.com

January 23rd, 2020

Message from Donna J Pfost  fncsteach@msn.com

Subject: Burial in Arlington scheduled for Steve Lakenick

Hi I jist wanted to reach out and let you all know that Steve's burial in Arlington has been scheduled for Friday, April 24th at 3:00. There will be a service at the chapel and then we procceed to the gravesite for other ceremonies there. I did not remember who I was to contact with this Info, but I am hoping this will do the trick.  ---PS...I am Steve's wife...

Part 6 2020

Part 7 2020

The Jim Southall Story

Some Give It All

Part 8 2020

Part 9 2020

Part 10 2021

Part 11,Part 12,Part 13, Part 14, Part 15, Part 16, Part 17, Part 18, Part 19, Part 20, Part 21, Part 22, Part 23, Part 24, Part 25, Part 26 & Part 27