The Battle of Khe Sanh, Vietnam 1968

The nine names on the back do not all belong to the famous siege. The 77-day encirclement of the Marine base ran through the first months of 1968, but the dates cast here run from April 1967 to March 1971, Marines, soldiers and a Navy corpsman from Silver City, Santa Rita, Roswell, Tularosa and Albuquerque who died in the fighting around Khe Sanh before and after it. A Khe Sanh veteran, Harold Lockwood, pressed the state for this panel and for the overpass at exit 107, painted the red of Khe Sanh's soil and dedicated in November 2012.

What the plaque says

Official Scenic Historic Marker The Battle of Khe Sanh, Vietnam 1968 "Home Was Where You Dug It" Eternally Bonded The Battle of Khe Sanh claimed the lives of 2,097 United States servicemen. This historic marker is dedicated to honor and preserve the memory of New Mexico servicemen who were killed in action or later died of their wounds. The Khe Sanh Vietnam Veterans will forever live in each others' hearts. These Servicemen from New Mexico Were Killed in Action at Khe Sanh. Cpl. Carlos C. Aguirre, USMC, February 24, 1968, Silver City Capt. Edmund D. Bilbrey, USA, March 11, 1971, Albuquerque Cpl. James L. Foster, USMC, May 19, 1968, Roswell S. Sgt. Robert L. Graham, USA, June 18, 1969, Roswell Cpl. David C. Grijalva, USMC, April 27, 1967, Santa Rita L/Cpl. John A. Le Compte, USMC, July 01, 1968, Albuquerque Pfc. Stephen Orosco, USMC, June 18, 1969, Tularosa Cpl. Bobby A.Taylor, USMC, February 03, 1968, Silver City HM-3 Ronald D. Whitlow, USN, August 6, 1968, Albuquerque

Where it stands

Worth the stop nearby

• Acoma Sky City — 11 mi
  Haak'u, the village on a sandstone mesa west of Albuquerque, seen only on the pueblo's own tours, with a mission whose roof beams were carried on foot from Mount Taylor.

More markers nearby

• Pueblo of Laguna — 2.8 mi
• Pueblo of Ácoma — 2.8 mi
• Old Acoma "Sky City" — 3.0 mi
• Pueblo of Laguna — 7.5 mi