7/8th KIA's

Listing of the 7/8th's "Killed In Action".
Garnered from the e-mails and information provided by members of the 7/8th Artillery Association.
If you have any further information, articles, corrections, etc.
PLEASE e-mail either Gary or myself.

Col. William Sidway Price - Bn Cmdr wasn't on the ship as he flew to Vietnam with the advance party. He was killed late March 68 when his O-1 observation plane took a bullet near Xuan Loc after he became an ARVN advisor. Panel 47E, Line 5

1st Lt. William Joseph McCarty, C Btry, killed by a rocket at Ben Luc, fall of 67, Panel 27E, Line 5.

The third battalion casualty during my 14 months (extended for an early out) was A Btry's "Chief of Smoke", killed late March 68 at Ben Luc. Haven't been able to locate him, as I didn't record his name.

The Chief of the Firing Battery who was killed at Ben Luc was John Moore. There was another KIA, a gun crew member also in the spring of '68. Don't remember anything more than his first or last name was Grady.

PFC Robert L. Fairbotham, C Btry, died 9-5-68, Wall 45W/40. Killed by mortar fire. Was powder man on 175 gun furthest from gate at Ben Luc.

SP5 Charles D. Garven, C Btry, died 10-7-68, Wall 41W/23. Died of disease. Was Motor Sgt.

PFC Harry D. Theriault, 5-2 ADA attached to A Btry, died 5-12-69. Killed by mortar fire. Was crewman on Duster on corner between 175mm pads at Ben Luc. Saw mortar flashes, called in warning to FDC. Died in Dust-off chopper.

Gary, we had a 1Lt who had been assigned to C7/8, then reassigned to an air support unit out of Ben Hoa after our guns fired out and wounded some US friendlies - don't think it was our fault- there was an intense ground engagement near Xuan Loc that we were supporting- not sure of the ground unit at this time- would have been around July-Aug 1969. Anyway, he was killed after transfer in a helicopter crash. AS best I can remember his name was John Conovey- he was ROTC from Texas A&M. nice guy, EM friendly.

I was a young 25 year old  E-5 gunner with A 7/8th FA at Ben Luc when SFC 
John Moore, SMOKE as we called him, was killed in March 1968. He had just
finished laying  the battery's gun , 175MM, using an OL light and was
returning to the FDC bunker when we started taking incoming mortar fire.. All
crews headed for the bunkers. I believe the Battery area received 30 or 40
rounds. After the mortars stopped I ran to the FDC bunker, they were right
next to our gun pad, to check on the FDC section because it had taken some
hits. I stumbled over SFC John Moore body going into the FDC bunker. The
medics were working on him, but they told me he had been hit while running
for the FDC bunker and had died from wounds he received to his back
..Another soldier was also killed in that attack. Another soldier from
another howitzer section had also been killed from the mortar attack.  His
section was also laying their howitzer when the incoming mortars landed on the
gun pad next to the howitzer killing one soldier, Grady I believe, and
wounding a few others.. The gun chief was not injured but went into shock
over the incident. I was sent over to that gun section the next day as
acting Chief of Section until he recovered a couple of days later.. I have
pictures from that attack if you are interested. I have never forgotten that
horrible day and I hope I never do. I can remember that the Engineer Platoon
that was with us there had received 54 flat tires on their heavy equipment
and they were pissed. The mess hall took a round or two and the FDC was hit
and the generator destroyed.  The BC jeep, have picture also,  took a
round right in the middle of the hood. It was a very interesting tense time.
For a long time afterwards, when firing our guns for H&I's we would fire
only one round, get into the bunkers and wait for return fire. It was very
nerve wracking to shoot H&I's after that. They arrested one of our hooch
maids later the next day when they found her measuring off the mortar holes
in the compound. Thank you for providing this web page and a chance to
reflect back and record that incident about SMOKE , SFC John Moore and
Grady...