THEY SERVED IN SILENCE

The Story of a Cryptologic Hero

Corporal Stephen L. Traughber, USMC

A Story of Cryptologic Service and Sacrifice

“A lot of things stuck with me. One thing I recall well was the 

strong person-to-person bonding and reliance from Marine to 

Marine. Realizing that your lives are almost overlapping, you 

become one...You almost become like a band of brothers living 

together. You learn how perishable life is...You see life one 

minute, you see death the next minute. But you move on quickly 

because the war still exists.”

 Lt. Col. Richard LeVa Ret. Former special radio operator, 1st Radio Battalion

Stephen L. Traughber was born on April 17, 1946 in southern Indiana in the city of New Albany. New 

Albany lies along the banks of the Ohio River and contains some of the hilliest terrain in the state. Stephen 

attended the local schools, and graduated from high school in 1964. He worked part-time for the ColgatePalmolive plant in nearby Clarksville both during and after high school, and in December 1964, he made 

the decision to enlist in the United States Marine Corps. After initial training at Parris Island, South Carolina, 

he was sent to the Naval Communications Training Center, Pensacola, Florida to attend Communications 

Technician “O” Branch School. After graduation in 1966, he was posted to E Company, Marine Support 

Battalion at Kamesaya, Japan.

In 1967, Traugber was assigned as part of an augmentation force to Marines Sub-Unit Company “E” First 

Radio Battalion in South Vietnam. The roots of the First Radio Battalion (1st FRB) reach all the way back 

to World War II. Since that time, various reiterations of the 1st FRB had served throughout the Pacific and 

Southeast Asia. The unit had sent the first group of U.S. Marines to Indochina to operate near Pleiku in 

1962. In 1967, Cpl Traugber, along with his unit, was ordered back to the area to conduct their work in the 

Da Nang region of Vietnam.

Their mission revolved around small tactical teams whose mission and purpose was to collect intelligence 

related to the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army through radio intercept, and radio direction finding. 

The information culled was used for both offensive and defensive fighting purposes, and provided critical 

support to units in the field. As a special communications operator, Stephen was devoted to his work and 

quickly rose to the rank of corporal. 

On September 10, 1967, Stephen was tasked with transporting a series of code books to Gio Linh in Quang 

Tri Province. During the trip he was severely injured by a claymore mine and died on 

the medical evacuation helicopter on the way back to Dong Ha. He would be the 394th 

serviceman from Indiana to die in the Vietnam conflict. Sergeant Richard McDaniel, a 

fellow Marine, remembers the day. 

“Steve and I were talking about cars the day he left to take some code books ... to a small 

detachment near Gio Linh in support of the 12th Marines. I had just returned from there 
MP 33610

after being there for 60 days. I will never forget that day, talking with him. My sincere condolences to his 

family and friends who knew him. Semper Fidelis means always faithful, to him and my lasting memories 

of him.”

A childhood friend remembered him fondly as well:

“I grow up on Oriole Drive, just around the corner from Steve. He was a bit older, but we all played 

football in my yard. I remember Steve going into the service, and will always remember the sorrow I felt 

when I heard my childhood friend was gone. I miss you Steve and think of you often.”

For his service he was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, National 

Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Distinguished Unit Citation, 

Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation, Good Conduct Medal, and Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal.

Stephen’s dedication to duty and sacrifice would not be forgotten by his fellow Marines or the Sea 

Service. In December of 1969 in a ceremony attended by surviving family members and 500 guests, and 

presided over by Colonel Douglas D. Petty, the Marine Corps representative to the Chief of the Naval Air 

Training Command U.S. Navy, Traughber Hall, a brand new 500-man Bachelor Enlisted Quarters at Corry 

Station was dedicated to his memory.