Marine captain gave his all to save soldiers

This tale took place in Vietnam on June 2-3, 1967.

"I had a bad feeling about this one," recalled Lance Corporal George Schneider. "Whenever they give you a cold beer before going out, you know the stuff is going to hit the fan."

The F Company of 1st Battalion 5th Marines was near the village of Vinh Huy. By mid-day they approached a 1,000-yard, horseshoe-shaped rice paddy flanked by low hill masses. It was just too quiet and too serene. 

When the three platoons and headquarters group were well within the massive paddy, the 3rd NVA Regiment sprung its trap. All heck broke loose as the NVA opened fire. The Marines were in a shooting gallery but they were the ones getting the incoming fire. Some men dove behind rice paddy dikes, however 1st and 2nd platoons were being cut to pieces. The second platoon radio man was hit through his helmet, taking off the top of his head. One man was out of water, so he drank the brown water from the rice paddy. 

Captain James Graham was everywhere on the battlefield. He had been wounded twice himself and he ordered a retreat. He remained with a wounded Marine. He covered the retreat of his men. He was low on ammunition Graham said in his last radio transmission while trying to repulse around 25 enemy NVA soldiers, who killed him. He received a posthumous Medal of Honor. 

"Graham was the best possible commander, he gave his all in the face of certain death," Corporal Brent MacKinnon said of the Marine captain.

D Company of 7th Marines began to arrive as reinforcements. When the battle was over after two days, the Maines would found to have 75 killed in action and 139 wounded.  

Roger Gregory is a Vietnam veteran and a business owner in Priest River.