Commiskey-Wheat Detachment #1073
Hattiesburg, MS 
DETACHMENT HISTORY


The detachment is named in honor of the two individuals listed below.

COMMISKEY, HENRY A., SR.

Rank and organization:
First Lieutenant (then 2d Lt.), U.S. Marine Corps, Company C, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division (Rein.).

Place and date:
Near Yongdungp'o, Korea, 20 September 1950.

Entered service at:
Hattiesburg, Miss.

Born:
10 January 1927, Hattiesburg, Miss.
Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a platoon leader in Company C, in action against enemy aggressor forces. Directed to attack hostile forces well dug in on Hill 85, 1st Lt. Commiskey, spearheaded the assault, charging up the steep slopes on the run.  Coolly disregarding the heavy enemy machine gun and small arms fire, he plunged on well forward of the rest of his platoon and was the first man to reach the crest of the objective.  Armed only with a pistol, he jumped into a hostile machine gun emplacement occupied by 5 enemy troops and quickly disposed of 4 of the soldiers with his automatic pistol.  Grappling with the fifth, 1st Lt. Commiskey knocked him to the ground and held him until he could obtain a weapon from another member of his platoon and killed the last of the enemy gun crew.  Continuing his bold assault, he moved to the next emplacement, killed 2 more of the enemy and then led his platoon toward the rear nose of the hill to rout the remainder of the hostile troops and destroy them as they fled from their positions.  His valiant leadership and courageous fighting spirit served to inspire the men of his company to heroic endeavor in seizing the objective and reflect the highest credit upon 1st Lt. Commiskey and the U.S. Naval Service.

WHEAT, ROY M.
Rank and organization:
Lance Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps, Company K, 3d Battalion, 7th Marine, 1st Marine Division.

Place and date:
Republic of Vietnam, 11 August 1967.

Entered service at:
Jackson, Miss.

Born:
24 July 1947, Moselle, Miss.



 

Citation:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. L/Cpl. Wheat and 2 other marines were assigned the mission of providing security for a Navy construction battalion crane and crew operating along Liberty Road in the vicinity of the Dien Ban District, Quang Nam Province.  After the marines had set up security positions in a tree line adjacent to the work site, L/Cpl.  Wheat reconnoitered the area to the rear of their location for the possible presence of guerrillas.  He then returned to within 10 feet of the friendly position, and here unintentionally triggered a well concealed, bounding type, antipersonnel mine. Immediately, a hissing sound was heard which was identified by the 3 marines as that of a burning time fuse. Shouting a warning to his comrades, L/Cpl. Wheat in a valiant act of heroism hurled himself upon the mine, absorbing the tremendous impact of the explosion with his body. The inspirational personal heroism and extraordinary valor of his unselfish action saved his fellow marines from certain injury and possible death, reflected great credit upon himself, and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the U.S. Naval Service.  He gallantly gave his life for his country.