LCpl Allan Ray Chaffin, the son of Paul R. Chaffin and Francis E. Chaffin of Anniston Alabama, dear nephew of Virgie Parker also of Anniston enlisted in the US Marine Corps on April 11 1966 in Montgomery AL. In Vietnam he was assigned to and served with Company I, 3d Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st MARDIV (Rein) FMF.
On April 21 the Battalion began participating on Operation UNION in the Quang Nam and Quang Tin Provinces encountering relatively light contact with enemy forces during the first phases of the Marines mission. On May 15, Companies I and M, were conducting a sweep on line with a 200 meter front through the hamlet of Phuoc Thuong (1) when they encountered intense small arms fire. Air strikes were requested on the enemy positions and the Marines resumed their assault through the built up area after evacuating their casualties. During the fire fights seven men were killed in action an over thirty were wounded. LCpl Allan Chaffin was one of the casualties, he was killed in action by a gunshot wound from hostile rifle fire.