This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Tommy Burgdorf (Birddog), FC2
to remember
DeShurley, George Robert, Sr., PO3.
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Casualty Info
Home Town Roswell, NM
Last Address Roswell, NM
Casualty Date Mar 31, 1968
Cause KIA-Killed in Action
Reason Artillery, Rocket, Mortar
Location Thua Thien (Vietnam)
Conflict Vietnam War
Location of Interment South Park Cemetery - Roswell, New Mexico
He was a Navy Seabee with NMCB-9 he was KIA on 3/31/1968 along with 5 others deffending the Phu Loc rock crushing plant. This was the highest KIA of Seabee losses in one day of the Vietnam conflict, this date 3/31/1968. Here are report records and statements from that attack.
1968… In an action that was typical of the "fighter/builders" of the Navy Seabees deployed in Vietnam, 6 Seabees of MCB-9's Detail Echo gave their lives on 31 March in a valiant effort which saved the lives of many fellow Seabees and Marine personnel.When their camp, located near Phu Bai, came under heavy mortar and recoilless rifle attack, the Seabees immediately manned an 81-mm mortar position and commenced and maintained counter fire despite the barrage of enemy shells landing near their position. The effective return fire destroyed at least two enemy gun positions and broke the attack.During a second attack, five hours later, the Seabees again manned their mortar position and even though they realized the enemy had bracketed their position with mortars, stood their ground and, acting with concern for the entire camp, continued to return fire until the enemy scored two direct hits on their position. The Seabees, who gave their lives in defense of the camp, were instrumental in repelling the attack, the results of which would have been much more severe had the mortar crew abandoned their position, an action they would have been justified in taking. The Seabees were determined to defend and hold the camp which they had worked so hard to build.
Seabee's killed in action at Phu Loc, RVN, while providing security (mortar crew) for rock crusher, Detail Echo. The camp was named Camp DeShurley after the mortar crew leader who was also KIA in the same incident.
