OT - Veterans Day Memorial

Robert Melvin Lough, Jr. Staff Sergeant HQ CO, HQ BN, 1ST MARDIV, 3RD MAF United States Marine Corps 27 August 1941 - 23 February 1969 Moundsville, West Virginia Panel 31W Line 009 The Headquarters, 1st Marine Division, compound came under attack during the early morning hours of 23 Feb 1969. The Headquarters Battalion's Command Chronology contains the following entry: "The Division Command Post perimeter came under enemy ground attack at several locations. The defense line was penetrated at two locations and it was necessary to commit the reaction company and one of the provisional rifle companies to counterattack and restore the lines. Artillery fire was delivered to seal off enemy withdrawal and HU-1E gunships were called in to strafe the hillside behind the Division CP. "Casualties: Enemy: 18 KIA and 1 POW. Friendly: 9 KIA and 29 WIA." It was able to identify ten men assigned to HQ Battalion, 1st MarDiv who died on 23 Feb - but it is possible that one of them was not involved in the attack on the Division Command Post. The ten men were: SSgt Robert M. Lough, Moundsville, WV, HQ Company (Silver Star) HM2 Jose A. Ollivier, Covina, CA, HQ Company Cpl Paul J. Mitchell, Mahanoy City, PA, Service Company Cpl John P. Ziegler, Altoona, PA, Service Company LCpl Pete G. Heckwine, Des Plaines, IL, HQ Company LCpl Christopher D. Prather, Minneapolis, MN, HQ Company LCpl Victor A. Rabel, Wheaton, MN, Service Company LCpl Woots E. Wadkins, Sciotoville, OH, Comm Company Pfc William E. Null, Williamson, WV, HQ Company Pfc Larry D. Staggs, Black Rock, AR, HQ Company

God bless each and every man and woman that serves this great country. God Bless AMERICA.