After 3 months in Vietnam, Pfc Richard Whitmore was a seasoned combat soldier. Attached to Bravo Co, 1st Bn, 7th Marine Regiment, he had been out on the daily search-and-destroy missions just west of Danang. But the massive US pull-out had already started in the area, and the enemy was positioning themselves for the final takeover. On 2/19/70, Bravo Co started the day out with sporadic fire. Just before 1PM, their ever-vigilant eye saw a bamboo stick in the ground - normally used by the VC to identify an area with landmines. As they set up a defensive position, a Marine pulled the stake out.....only to find it was booby-trapped and detonated a mortar. Two men were wounded and a helicopter was called in for evacuation. As the sweep continued, they would have another 4 men wounded to sniper and small-arms fire - yet added more enemy kills to their daily tally. By 8PM, darkness had fallen as they probed through the heavy brush. A squad of 3, walking about 10 meters apart, cut through the brush, ever-vigilant, with Pfc Whitmore in the middle. Unknowingly, he stepped on a pressure-detonated landmine, covered by a board. As he stepped off it, it detonated with a massive blast and killed him instantly. Both of the other Marines were seriously wounded.