A Recon Marine Remembers LZ Margo
by Lance Corporal Cavan Cox
First Platoon, Alpha Company, Fifth Recon Battalion, BLT 2/26
"After the incoming lifted we carried Doc Eisenbraun to the area where all the dead of the past two days had been placed. Doc Eisenbraun was a good friend and that was one of the saddest walks I’ve ever taken."
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LCpl Cavan Cox
Recon Platoon, BLT 2/26
The Recon Platoon Joins the BLT
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My name is Cavan Cox. I was a Lance Corporal with the recon platoon attached to BLT 2/26.
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For the past nine months we had been the 2nd platoon of Echo Co. 3rd Recon Battalion but our designation was changed effective August 1, 1968 when we joined the BLT. We became 1st Platoon of Alpha Co., 5th Recon Battalion.
Two squads of Echo Company, 3rd Recon Battalion, prior to joining the BLT. "(M)" is used to designate veterans of LZ Margo. Front row kneeling from left: Cpl J. Mulholland, LCpl Cavan Cox (M), Cpl Garcia, (standing with jump wings) SSgt Jim Doner (M). Second row: PFC George Ellison (M), PFC J. Wallace, Sgt Tootsie, PFC Cruz, LCPL Eugene Robinson (M). Back row: Sgt Hannish, (partially visible) Cpl Kuhlman, G Diaz, Van Buren (M), next three uncertain, last on the right LCpl Hendrix. Photo courtesy of Cavan Cox.
If you Google that unit for the Vietnam era you will find no information. The only place I’ve found it is in the 2/26 Command Chronologies.
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We spent about two weeks on the USS Dubuque after attachment.
USS Dubuque (LPD-8), an amphibious Landing Platform Dock (LPD) capable of embarking 840 Marines. Photo courtesy of AdvertiserCommunityNews.com.
