By Roch Thornton, CAP 2-7-2, 1970-71
In December 2001 I found a new 2nd CAG document from the USMC Archives called the 2nd CAG Combat Action Results Tabulation Sheet. Actually, the document included “combat action results” (i.e. casualties) for all four CAGs then in operation.
The document is a monthly spreadsheet tabulating CAP Marine, RF/PF and enemy casualties by date and time. To my surprise, it listed two USMC KIAs and one WIAE in CAP 2-7-2 on Jan. 14, 1970. None of the 2-7-2 Marines I have talked with over the years ever mentioned such an incident. I don’t remember it myself because it occurred nearly a month before I arrived at 2-7-2.
And the January 1970 2nd CAG Command Chronology mentions no action for CAP 2-7-2 on that date.
But I do recall while I was in CAP 2-7-2 one of the old-timers called my attention to a ruined masonry gate on the river trail not far from Highway 1. The Marine referred to the gate as “the place where the two boots got killed.” The only additional detail mentioned was the cause of their deaths … a command-detonated booby trap.
The “date/time” group for the spot report of their deaths was “141230H,” which I interpret as 12:30 p.m. on the 14th of January. That time would be consistent with death by a command detonated booby trap, which were most often encountered in daylight hours.
Now I think I can put names to the “two boots.” The Vietnam Casualty Database lists five Marines killed in Quang Nam Province on Jan. 14, 1970. Two of those names, with the correct initials, also appear on the October 1969 2nd CAG roster. Both men started their Vietnam tours in mid or late October, which meant they probably arrived at CAP 2-7-2 sometime in December, 1969. They would still have been considered “boots” (new guys) on Jan. 14.
They were PFC Andrew Mark Phillips, 19, of Lansdale, Pa., and PFC Daniel Lewis Wood, 18, of Culpeper, Va. Their entries from the Vietnam Casualty Database are listed below.
There is no information on the Marine or two RFs who were badly wounded (WIAE = WIA Emergency) at CAP 2-7-2 on the same date.
Months after I first posted this article, I got an e-mail from “Doc” North of CAP 2-7-4 who recalled this incident. I added his e-mail to the article. Unfortunately, that version of this article was lost in a dispute I had with my Internet service provider. I have not been able to reach Doc North to re-create his e-mail, so I will summarize it here.
According to Doc North, CAP 2-7-2 corpsman “Doc” Day was not in Thanh Quit when the booby trap killed Phillips and Wood. So Doc North and other members of CAP 2-7-4 were called to provide medical assistance. Doc recalls that Phillips and Wood were dead by the time he arrived, and the third Marine was badly wounded. Doc North recalled using the stock of an M-14 to create a makeshift splint for the man’s leg.
Doc North also recalled some later speculation about why three inexperienced Marines were allowed to lead a patrol by themselves.
— General / Personal —
Last name: PHILLIPS
First name: ANDREW MARK
Home of Record (official): LANSDALE
State (official): PA
Date of Birth: Wednesday, November 15, 1950
Sex: Male
Race: Caucasian
Marital Status: Single
— Military —
Branch: Marine Corps
Rank: PFC
Serial Number: 206423752
Component: Regular
Pay grade: E2
MOS (Military Occupational Specialty code): 0351
— Action —
Start of Tour: Monday, October 13, 1969
Date of Casualty: Wednesday, January 14, 1970
Age at time of loss: 19
Casualty type: (A1) Hostile, died
Reason: Other explosive device (Ground casualty)
Country: South VietNam
Province: Quang Nam
The Wall: Panel 14W – Row 034
===================================================
— General / Personal —
Last name: WOOD
First name: DANIEL LEWIS
Home of Record (official): CULPEPER
State (official): VA
Date of Birth: Saturday, April 28, 1951
Sex: Male
Race: Caucasian
Marital Status: Single
— Military —
Branch: Marine Corps
Rank: PFC
Serial Number: 224680315
Component: Regular
Pay grade: E2
MOS (Military Occupational Specialty code): 0311
— Action —
Start of Tour: Tuesday, October 21, 1969
Date of Casualty: Wednesday, January 14, 1970
Age at time of loss: 18
Casualty type: (A1) Hostile, died
Reason: Other explosive device (Ground casualty)
Country: South VietNam
Province: Quang Nam
The Wall: Panel 14W – Row 035
Posted on Dec. 10, 2001