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Jeffrey Philip Myers
Lance Corporal
M CO, 3RD BN, 4TH MARINES, 3RD MARDIV, III MAF United States Marine Corps Mattapan, Massachusetts January 31, 1949 to September 07, 1967 JEFFREY P MYERS is on the Wall at Panel 26E, Line 100 |
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September 28, 2014
A friend of mine, a Vietnam vet with 3 tours, surprised me on my brother's death date of September 7th. He is an author named Daniel Storm, who lives in Wisconsin and he arranged for the President of the American Legion, Lou Shandley to come to my home to present me a U.S. flag and make me a Gold Star Family member. This was a surprise visit set up by Daniel storm as he knew I was so upset on that day of September 7th. I was so touched. My brother died for his country at the young age of 18. I so appreciate you, The Virtual Wall for helping me keep my brother living within me.
- - Judith Myers Weinberger-Shiner
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On 27, 28, and 29 August, a complete 360 degree sweep on Con Thien was completed with minimal contact. From that day forward, during the week leading up to the elections and beyond, there was increasing evedence of NVA moving in close to Con Thien on the north, west, and southwest. On 1 September, two companies returning from patrols received incoming artillery fire while on the move west of Con Thien. The incoming artillery also increased on Con Thien exceeding 200 rounds on some days. Patrols to the direct south of the position on 2 and 3 September encountered a recently dug in enemy position. Air strikes and coordinated company sweeps displaced the NVA from a positon that appeared to be planned as an ambush for a Main Supply Route convoy. On 4 September, after making a solid contact to the southwest of Con Thien, a dug in NVA positon was outflanked by a maneuvering company with 37 NVA confirmed KIA and 10 probables. During the contact, enemy artillery fire was received, indicating an apparent NVA Forward Observer (FO) capability with the NVA ground troops not previously encountered in this area. On 7 September, two companies again took incoming in the same area to the southwest after making contact while on patrol. At 1102 hours, Con Thien received three rounds of 152mm artillery from the area at YD111779. One bunker took a direct hit. Three Marines were killed and one seriously wounded. Artillery fire was returned. At 1215 hours, Con Thien received 14 rounds of 82mm mortar fire from unknown enemy position. At 1305 hours, Company M made enemy contact with an estimated enemy squad and two heavy machine guns at YD106688. By 1325 hours, Company M reported enemy forces had increased and they were receiving enemy artillery fire. Company K, at YD108682 was also receiving incoming artillery. At the same time, Con Thien was receiving fire. 81mm mortars were fired in support of Company M contact and Company I was committed to support Company M. By 1800 hours, contact was broken and Companies M and I moved into defensive night time positions. As a result of the day's contacts, Companies I, K, and M reported 12 friendly KIAs and 35 WIA with 11 evacuated for medical treatment. Seven confirmed enemy deaths confirmed, 12 probables were reported. The 3/4 Marines at Con Thien lost the following 16 men. The first 3 men were killed on Con Thien from the bunker hit:
During afternoon contact, the Mike 3/4 patrol had contact with an NVA unit about a kilometer south of Con Thien, losing 13 more Marines in that engagement. Official reports from the field showed 12 KIA. Today's Army records show 13. The Virtual Wall is unable to determine which of the 11 men medevaced passed away enroute to the medical facility as none of the men's records show admission to a medical treatment facility. The 13 men lost were:
Mike Company young men. Jeff Myers on right (red arrow). If you know any of the other men, please let us know. 
Upon his death, the Army notified the family and the funeral home received the following telegram in preparation for Jeffrey's funeral. 
The newspaper article below that the funeral home found for Jeffrey's funeral was over 50 years old and the smudges were from being stored so long. The following is a partial translation of it as it was just too difficult to read all of it. The caption below the photo states "Mrs. Sidney Myers, mother of Lance Cpl. Jeffrey Myers is helped by Marine Sergeant after her son's funeral. He had been in Vietnam for 5 months." 
The article next to the photograph is translated below, as best can be seen under the smudges. Of note, Jeffrey was not alone in his concern over the M-16 rifle. The M16's failures in Vietnam are legendary and resulted in a series of congressional hearings. Read the full history of Army rifles and the Army's 1968 report on the M-16. 'Do the Best I can'
Marine's Last Words By George Forsythe - - Jeffrey Myers of Mattapan was an 18 year old kid with a man's responsibilities. He was a Marine Lance Corporal and the leader of a fire team in Vietnam where he had been for the past five months. His enlistment ended after 18 months when the Vietcong killed him on September 7. Just three months before his death on June 8th, Lcpl Myers wrote to his family one of the few letters containing the bitterness and frustration most servicemen ...........he considered the .......his weapon the cont... M-16 rifle. ALL JAMMED ".... all it does is jam up...." he wrote. "We lost half a battalion because they didn't work. When we took a bunker, there were 11 of us and every rifle jammed. And in another ... he embodied the bewilderment of many per... ". . . Of course the enemy doesn't like us, but the people we're fighting for don't like us either. I wonder why I'm here. All I know is that I will do the best I can." He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Myers of 44 Mattakeeset St., and he had an older sister Judith. Jeffrey was a big handsome kid who joined the Marines at the [recruiting] station from Hyde Park ... Upon completion of the funeral, the Funeral Director sent the following letter to the US Marines, thanking them for their participation in Jeffrey's funeral service. 
At the time of his death, Lance Corporal Myers was survived by his mother Marion and father Sidney Myers and his sister Judith all living on Mattakeeset Street, Mattapan. Jeffrey is buried next to his mother and stepfather at Sharon Memorial Park, Sharon (Norfolk County), Massachusetts, in Section Hebron, 23, Lot 104, graves 3 and 4. 
- - The Virtual Wall, October 22, 2014
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October 3, 2014
In response to questions by The Virtual Wall and the subsequent review by his sister, Judi responded with the following note, which completes the story for Jeffrey: This made all my memories flood back at me. I was so moved. The loss of anyone in a war is so sad and those who sacrificed their lives, really never lived a full happy fruitful life. Those are the things I wished for my dear brother. My legal name is Judith Myers Weinberger-Shiner. My parents were divorced and my dad, Sid Myers, who was in the Coast Guard, wanted to be cremated. He died March 25, 1999. My husband Marc, his wife Estelle and a few friends were brought on a small coast guard cutter where my dad's ashes were scattered in the ocean outside the shores of Ft. Lauderdale Florida. My dad served proudly in World War II. My brother was my best friend . We played word games, made snow angels as kids and were normal children from a middle class family. I miss him sorely all these years. I believe he is my guardian angel and sits on my shoulder. He had a girlfriend at the time, Barbara Allen, who is now married and is Barbara Allen Heifetz. She visits to Jeff's grave every memorial day, veterans day and especially on his birthday. We still are in touch and she keeps Jeff's picture on the visor in her car. She feels so safe with him driving with her. It was she who had my brother's name inscribed correctly on the Vietnam Wall as his first name was misspelled. He now is also on panel 26E line 100 which is the correct spelling. I cannot thank her enough. She did it with the help of Senator Ted Kennedy. I will forever be grateful for her persistence. I live in Florida so she visits Jeff for me also. My mom died March 31, 2011 at the age of 93. She was known as Marion Dale. She had been married to Samuel Dale for over 30 years. When my dad was cremated, my step mother gave me my dad's grave and I asked my mom if she wanted to be buried between her favorite 2 men. That is why the graves are as such. I intend to be buried with my husband and I have the original flag from Jeff's funeral which flew on my late brother-in-law's (Steven Aronson) building for 2 years after 9-11. He returned it to my mother before it was destroyed from the elements. I have that tattered flag as well as the one I was given by the President of the American Legion. Both will surround me at my death. My step brother Gerald Dale had a child and he was named Jeffrey Dale after my brother. Jeffrey has all of Jeff's medals. I keep all of my brother's last letters and all letters my mom saved from Congress and just regular people who wrote to her after reading of his death. Thank you with what you have done for me. - - Regards, Jude
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