Flight Time (3rd Reconnaissance Battalion)


United States Marine Corps Delta Co, call sign Flight Time; was the last full team from the 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion to be killed in action during the Vietnam War, on 4 June 1969.

Last Mission

On 2 June 1969 Recon Team "Flight Time" from D Company, 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion, was inserted on Hill 471 about a kilometer south of Khe Sanh in the Quảng Trị province, Vietnam, On the night of 3/4 June 1969 the team was attacked by an enemy force and requested both emergency extraction and immediate reinforcement. Communications with the team were lost at 0320. When the reactionary force arrived a little after 0400 they were too late... the six members of "Flight Time" were dead. Five members of the team were in a small trench; the sixth, Cpl Buck, was approximately 10 meters further down the hillside. It was apparent from the state of the battle area that "Flight Time" had been overwhelmed in fierce hand-to-hand combat.

Recovery account

This is a personal account of a fellow Marine Jerry Miller, sent to Hill 471 to check on the status of team Flight Time.

Flight Time members