Sergeant Sharber Mayfield Rowe USMC | New Mexico State University

Sharber Mayfield Rowe was born on May 13, 1941 in Crossville TN to George and Sally Rowe. His father was serving in the US Army, when in 1946 he was one of the original service members assigned to White Sands Proving Ground. George would serve in many varied capacities in Range Service Division over the ensuing years. Sharber would spend the majority of his life in Las Cruces save a three year stint when his father was stationed in Germany. He graduated from Las Cruces HS in 1959 and enlisted in the US Army. Leaving the army, he enrolled at NMSU in the spring of 1962, leaving school in the spring of 1964. In 1965 he enlisted in the US Marine Corps. In April of 1968 he arrived in country assigned to 2nd Platoon, “C” Company, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines. In April 1968 the 1st Marines were part of Operation Pegasus to battle through the siege of the Khe Sahn Combat Base, Quang Tri Province, I Corps. Arriving at Khe Sahn, the unit was assigned Hills 881, 861 and 950. Company C was assigned with Company D to Hill 881. These outposts were located north of Khe Sahn. Combat operations were continuous throughout the remainder of the spring as the NVA pressed on their attack.

That spring the US Command made the decision to evacuate Khe Sahn and in June 1968 Operation Charlie began. On 5 July, the Marines departed KSCB leaving the 1st Marines in a blocking position on their hilltop outposts to the north attempting to recover the bodies of comrades who had previously been killed. The 1st Marines had been in close combat since 2 July against strong NVA attacks. The fighting grew so fierce that US casualties were left on the battlefield. When the Marines would attempt to recover their lost comrades the following day they would inevitably be ambushed. At first light on 7 July, 1968, “C” Company moved through the tactical wire on Hill 689 to recover the bodies of their fallen comrades from “D” Company. Mortared by the NVA and under intense enemy rifle fire they had to withdraw leaving behind three more of their dead all to be recovered later. Only 17 members of “C” Company were remaining that night. One of the casualties was Sgt. Sharber Mayfield Rowe, killed in action by fragmentation wounds by the hostile mortar fire. His body was recovered and he rests today in the Masonic Cemetery in Las Cruces. He was survived by his wife Geraldine. Sergeant Sharber Mayfield Rowe was 27 years of age at the time of his death in service to his country.