DANNY LEE GRIMSHAW

On the early morning of Aug 23, D Co was dispatched to attack a concentrated force of enemy (NVA) from one side of a bridge while another company attacked from the opposite side. The bridge leading into Danang had been overun and take over by the large NVA force.

Doc Grimshaw was due to rotate back to the states at this time and did not have to go on this mission. He volunteered to go. He felt a strong commitment to the Marines in Delta company and was loved and respected by all. As Delta Company approached the west side of a tree line near the bridge, we came under heavy fire from entrenched NVA. Two Marines were in an open area and wounded. Doc Grimshaw saw their predicament and told to wait but instead he courageously ran out to help the Marines despite a large volume of heavy fire. The two Marines were treated and lived. However, Doc Grimshaw was targeted by the enemy and was shot in the front/top of his head with a large 50 caliber machine gun round and another smaller bullet in another part of his body. The head wound was very fatal and he died instantly. Soon thereafter, we received orders to pull back so heavy artillery could pound the area so we could more effectively assault the enemy in the tree line. Delta company's commanding officer, Lt. Bob Baribeau, refused to pull us out citing the fact that Doc's body had not been retrieved. We never left our dead. Myself and another Marine retrieved Doc's body. I never will forget that day since myself and three other Marines carried Doc's body over a mile back to our battalion rear area in a poncho. I have always remembered Doc Grimshaw and his unselfish heroic actions and he is one of the primary reasons why I wrote the history of the 1st Bn., 27th Marines. I did not want the heroic actions of Marines (I consider Doc to be a Marine... he went and did every thing we did) like Doc Grimshaw to go unrecognized. It has been very difficult for me to write this and I hope I have not upset anyone. I am very humbled and honored to have served with and known Doc Grimshaw. He is not forgotten.

Semper Fidelis,

Gary Jarvis

D Co 1/27 1967-68