US Marine in Khe Sanh, Vietnam.

This Marine soldier was stationed in a firebase in the Khe Sanh valley. A few weeks before the the major North Vietnames and Vietcong Tet offensive in 1968, the firebase was one of the scene of major battles. It was initially thought that the enemies were aiming to overrun the base camp and major US enforcement (mostly Marines) were deployed in the area.


























Around 20,000 NVA troops sorruounded the base protected by 6,000 US Marines and the siege began on Jan. 21, 1968 and was not "officially" to end for around 70 days..



























On February 25, this Marine, belonging to one of the two-squad patrol, instructed not to venture farther than 1,000 meters from the base perimeter, vanished. Two weeks later, casualties of the so-called ghost patrol were established as nine dead, 25 wounded, and 19 missing. A company-size patrol on March 30 had as one of its missions the recovery of the bodies of the ghost patrol. This second patrol suffered three dead, 71 wounded and three missing before being ordered to pull back. Only two bodies from the ghost patrol were recovered at that time.


























During the siege the casualties were: USMC: 168 KIA, 443 WIA, 2 MIA; NVA: 807 KIA (confirmed), 611 KIA (probable), 6 POW, I returnee. The number of USMC soldiers after the siege were actually doubled after the siege.