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Clifford Leroy Whipple
Lance Corporal
G CO, 2ND BN, 1ST MARINES, 3RD MARDIV, III MAF United States Marine Corps Downey, California November 08, 1946 to December 18, 1965 CLIFFORD L WHIPPLE is on the Wall at Panel 4E, Line 27 |
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L/Cpl Clifford L Whipple, G 2/1, was a brother Marine in our company. We trained at Camp Pendelton prior to shipping out to Chu Lai, RVN. On December 18 1965 Golf 2/1 was called upon to aid a company of Marines who had been ambushed in the middle of a rice paddie. As we approached a couple of downed choppers were visible in the paddie. The VC were set up in a tree line to the front and waited for us to start across the paddie before springing their ambush. Our platoon was the point, and we imediately took casualties. A machine gun team was brought up to put fire into the tree line, as the rest of us were pinned down by accurate rifle fire and mortars. Our machine guns opened up but one gunner was hit very quick, and another gunner took his place and also was hit and killed. I believe it was L/Cpl Whipple. That day was very hot, and the paddie provided little cover. Every move brought fire on us. As it grew darker we were able to move back. Air strikes forward also allowed us to move out and retrieve our casualties. There were heros that day and L/Cpl Whipple was one of them.
From a brother Marine, |
A Note from The Virtual WallUntil 22 December 1965 the 2nd Bn, 1st Marines provided the bulk of BLT 2/1. Golf 2/1 had lost three men on 05 Dec, and on 10/11 December Fox 2/1 lost eleven men in a bitter fight near Que Son. On the 18th it was again Golf 2/1's turn; they had two men killed in action and three "died of wounds" on 18/19 December:
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