Death Valley (31 page)

First Lieutenant William G. Peters, a platoon leader in D/1/7 Marines. (Courtesy Maj. William G. Peters, USMC, Ret)

Lance Corporal Don Wells, a radioman in 1/7 Marines, relaxing at Stack Arms, an in-country R&R center on China Beach. (Courtesy Don Wells)

Lance Corporal John G. Bradley, a rifleman in C/1/7 Marines. (Courtesy Master Sgt. John G. Bradley, USMC, Ret)

Corporal Nicholas Cominos, a squad leader in D/1/7 Marines, in the Arizona Territory in July or August 1969. (Courtesy Nicholas Cominos)

Vietnamese children tag along with a Marine patrol. (Courtesy Carson C. Bartels)

An 81mm mortar crew from the 1/7 Marines. (Courtesy Don Wells)

Lieutenant Colonel Cecil M. “Hank” Henry, commanding officer of the 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry, Americal Division. (Courtesy Col. Cecil M. Henry, USA, Ret)

Major Roger C. Lee, operations officer, 4–31st Infantry. (Courtesy William P. Wilson)

Lieutenant Colonel Henry (center), Major Lee (right), and Capt. Gabriel Akiona, intelligence officer of the 4–31st Infantry (left), with a captured enemy soldier. (Courtesy Col. Cecil M. Henry, USA, Ret)

Lieutenant Colonel Henry, Capt. Phillip Kinman, and Sgt. Maj. “Hoss” Gutterez (left to right) view captured enemy weapons after the NVA assault on Firebase West in August 1969. (Courtesy Col. Cecil M. Henry, USA, Ret)

Captain John A. Whittecar earned his third Silver Star while commanding D/4–31st Infantry in the Song Chang Valley fighting of August 1969. (Courtesy Kay Whittecar)

Captain Whittecar (holding map) confers with another officer. (Courtesy Kay Whittecar)

Captain William H. Gayler and 1st Lt. Doug Monroe (with camera) of B/4–31st Infantry during a standdown at Chu Lai. (Courtesy Col. William H. Gayler, AUS, Ret)