TBS 2-67 Cruisebook_Updated_7Jan23

Richard Laughlin O'Leary
19 October 1943 ‐ 25 September 1967
Boston, Massachusetts
Panel 27E Line 012
Last Known Activity
HIT IN FLT, O‐1C 3 KM S‐SE OF CAM LO VILLAGE
19670925
UTM grid reference is YD1375
O‐1C 196709.KIA
Lt. O'Leary was killed by a single .50 round while
lying as an observer aboard an O‐1C aircraft
(callsign "Plumpness"). Aircraft was able to return
to Dong Ha, RVN.
I met O'Leary at this bunker in the picture, a couple
hours before he was KIA on his second day in
country. This bunker was the Northern I Corps
Command Bunker at Dong Ha just 8 miles South of
North Vietnam. It controlled Army, Air Force, Navy,
Marine, ARVN aircraft, artillery, naval gunire.
A Memorial to Our Beloved Richard Laughlin
O'Leary USMC O‐1
This was originally posted on The Virtual Wall
Website 5.6.2007, with updates in July 2020
POSTED BY: LCPL VALLEE, USMC, DETROIT, MI
JUST A FEW HOURS BEFORE HE WAS KILLED OVER
THE DMZ
I was looking over the names on this page (Virtual
Wall Website) and I remembered O'Leary and how
suddenly he was killed. On 25 September 1967.
I was a radio operator on temporary duty in the
Dong Ha, Northern I Corps Operations Center CP. I
was seated with a radio, my back against a wall
behind a raised narrow long table along with
other radio operators. We had a view of the loor
below, with a big map spread across the opposite
wall and many oficers standing and talking.
How do I put a face on him.? Well, it was like this, a
tall Marine Major introduced him to me to get his
callsign "Plumness##" and radio frequency. It was
around 8am on a Saturday.
I remember him telling me he just got in‐country
and was just married. He was standing looking at
me about my chest height. I thought about how
young he looked , as I was only 23. I don't know
why, but I really liked him and his enthusiasm but
he looked like a kid to me, too young for the
M‐71