Private William H. Carpenter, USMC (1948
- 1967)
By Louis M. Iatarola
On December 27, 1967, William H. (Billy "Awgy Dawgy")
Carpenter became the second Taconyite and twenty-second Father
Judge graduate to lose his life in the Vietnam War. On this
Tacony History Day, September 21, 1996, the gymnasium within
the Disston Recreation Center will be dedicated in his memory.
This profile is intended to familiarize us with the young
man who had such a profound impact on his friends and family
as well as a tremendous love for his country.
William H. Carpenter was born and raised
at 6743 Ditman Street. He attended St. Leo's School and was
a 1966 graduate of Father Judge High School, where he achieved
outstanding grades. Billy's favorite subject was history and
he was an avid reader. When he wasn't reading he could be
found spending time at the Disston Recreation Center.
In basketball, Billy was an outstanding
center as he was big and strong. In football, he was a great
tight end with good speed and excellent hands. On nearly any
given day, Billy spent some time at the Disston Recreation
Center ("The Rec") playing ball, hanging out, talking
with buddies, or simply reading, until his graduation from
Father Judge High School.
At the time of Billy's graduation in
1966, the war in Southeast Asia was raging. Billy's sense
of patriotism was stronger than his desire for college as
he unselfishly enlisted in the United States Marine Corps.
He swiftly proceeded through Paris Island, Camp Lejune, and
to electronics school as a radio operator. It was early fall
in 1967 when Billy received orders for duty in Vietnam. He
was assigned to the First Marine Division as a radio operator
on a Forward Air Controller Team.
Forward Air Controller (F.A.C.) team
members represented a volunteer force responsible for calling
in and directing air support for ground operations. In addition,
they directed air evacuation of the wounded. The F.A.C. team
members are typically the first into battle and the last out.
This is truly one of the most dangerous and critical jobs
in the Marine Corps.
By early December, 1967, Billy had been
assigned to Special Landing Force Bravo within the ranks of
the 3rd Battalion, First Marine Division. Operation Badger
Tooth, which commenced on December 26, 1967, was to be the
last commitment for Special Landing Force Bravo in that year.
Billy was traveling with Rifle Company "K" when
the operation started at 1100 hours. Company L landed over
Green Beach and proceeded to Landing Zone Finch, which was
located slightly more than three kilometers inland from the
beach on the southern Quang Tri Province border. (see map
below)
The Operation was to be a somewhat difficult
task. The proposed objective area was located on the extreme
westerly side of what was called the "Street Without
Joy." Intelligence estimates placed as a many as 1700
enemy troops in the vicinity of the operation. Within five
and a half hours, Company K suffered the first casualty of
Operation Badger Tooth when automatic weapons fire west of
Landing Zone Finch struck a Marine.
Colonel Schmidt, the Commander of the
Special Landing Force, then commanded the Battalion Landing
Team to change direction and "sweep" the coastal
villages of Tham Ke and Trung An. On the evening of December
26, Companies L and M executed sweeps of both villages. Both
towns were found to contain little evidence of the presence
of Communist formations as the Marines killed only three Viet
Cong and detained four. Unfortunately for Billy Carpenter
and his fellow Marines, the search would have soon proved
inadequate.
At 0700 hours on the morning of December
27, Companies L and M embarked on another "sweep"
of the two villages. Company M moved out to the northeast
to cover Trung An while Company L moved south to cover Tham
Ke. As the leading platoon of Company L approached the edge
of the village, a tremendous volume of enemy fire opened up
from various sources including machine guns, rifles, and mortars.
The Company initially suffered many casualties including Captain
Thomas S. Hubble and his battalion "Tac-net" radio
operator.
Lieutenant Colonel McQuown, during a
period in which all communications were temporarily lost with
the company, ordered Company M to move southeast in support
of Company L. Almost instantly, Company M cam under heavy
fire. Company I was ordered to the south of Tham Ke while
the Special Landing Force was ordered to land the tank platoon.
At this point, Billy Carpenter and Rifle Company K were instructed
to take the pressure off Companies L and M by attacking the
south end of Tham Ke.
Before too long, Company K found itself
surrounded in an open field by a large enemy force. Billy's
Forward Air Controller team was ordered to the front to direct
an air strike. Company K attacked against fierce resistance,
all the while prepping the area with 81 mm mortar fire. There
was very little cover, however, Billy knew that his job was
to advance to a position where he could observe the enemy
fire.
As Billy was advancing, he was shot through
the legs and somehow continue directing mortar strikes on
the enemy. As he valiantly continued to advance in an effort
to carry out his mission, he expired after a loss of blood.
Air support did eventually arrive and the Marines secured
their position. Despite the successful mission, forty-six
Marines lost their lives in the battle in addition to Billy
Carpenter.
A search of Tham Ke on the morning of
December 28 revealed a defensive fortress complete with a
network of underground tunnels supporting ground level bunkers
for massive amounts of weaponry. All defensive preparation
was camouflaged with growing vegetation. Upon inquiry after
the battle, local residents disclosed that the North Vietnamese
Army had been preparing the defense of the village since late
1966. Obviously, in preparing for the operation, the Marines
were not expecting the presence of such a formidable force
whose magnitude and intense preparation made it difficult
to overtake. The same statement would apply eventually to
the entire Vietnam War in general.
Billy Carpenter was one of many thousands
of young men who gave their lives for the cause of liberty.
In addition, seven others from Tacony lost their lives in
the Vietnam War. Their spirit, determination, and love for
freedom and democracy are an inspiration to us all and are
the reason we have remained, for over 220 years, "one
nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for
all."
As we dedicate Disston Recreation Center's
gymnasium today in the memory of a young man whose feet once
competitively pounced upon it and whose voice once echoed
through it, let us remember that although time passes by,
it cannot erase those memories created through love and friendship.
In closing, let us reflect on the following passage which
was prepared by Tom Fenerty, Billy's best friend, upon the
Testimonial Dinner held in Billy's honor on March 28, 1987,
for which he was program chairman:
My sons and all our children should know
and remember
the deeds of Billy Carpenter and the 58,000 men who gave their
lives in Vietnam. Should our country ever again become involved
in a struggle against Communist aggression, our sons will
know and be ready to stand strong in defense of our nation's
freedom. Hail and farewell, Bill, we will never forget.
In addition to Billy Carpenter, there
were several other young men from our Tacony neighborhood
who served our country and were killed in Vietnam. Please,
remember them in your thoughts and prayers...
| Name |
Service |
Date of Birth |
Date of Death |
 |
Pvt. William H. Carpenter, Jr.
|
USMC
|
6/2/48
|
12/27/67 |
| Cpl. Clement J. Grassi |
USMC |
11/20/46 |
6/15/68 |
| Lance Cpl. James P. Harkanson |
USMC |
10/27/46 |
2/18/68 |
| Cpl. Donald J. Hertrich |
USA |
8/2/48 |
11/8/68 |
| Staff Sgt. Bernard F. Kissel |
USAF |
9/24/46 |
10/21/68 |
| Maj. Rev. Aloysius P. McGonigal |
USA |
11/8/21 |
2/17/68 |
| Lance Cpl. Robert A. Ryan |
USMC |
5/15/49 |
8/25/69 |
| Sgt. Edward F. Zackowski |
USA |
7/7/47 |
11/28/67 |
The Dedication Plaque in the Disston
Recreation Center reads as follows:
Dedicated in Memory of
Pvt. William H. Carpenter, USMC
Killed in action in Vietnam
December 27, 1967
Billy spent many hours playing sports at Disston
Recreation Center. He loved sports and played with
intensity, the same way he lived his life. In 1966 he
graduated from Father Judge High School, at a time when
our country was engaged in a war in Southeast Asia.
Without hesitation Billy volunteered and served with
honor
and distinction. He gave his life for freedom that others
might enjoy the facilities such as this gym.
This gymnasium is dedicated to the memory and service
of Billy and the other Tacony men who gave their lives
and all Americans who served their country in Vietnam.
In Memoriam
|
Pvt. William Carpenter |
|
Cpl. Clement Grassi |
|
LCpl. James Harkanson |
|
Cpl. Donald Hertrich |
|
SSgt. Bernard Kissel |
|
Maj. Rev. Al McGonigal |
|
LCpl. Robert Ryan |
|
Sgt. Edward Zakowski |
"Greater love than this no
one has, that one lay
down his life for his friends." John 15:13
|
Special thanks to Tom Fenerty in helping with the compilation
of this year's profile.
|
