Hospitalman James Patrick McGrath, USN, was assigned to Headquarters and Service Company, 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific. On August 3, 1967, Hospitalman McGrath was serving with a reconnaissance team assigned a mission of gathering intelligence information in an area south of Phu Bai, Republic of Vietnam. His patrol had been lifted to the area of operation and had been patrolling for one day. On the evening of the second day, the patrol was taken under hostile fire and extraction was set for the next morning. While the recovery helicopter was becoming airborne, it took a heavy volume of fire and exploded, crashing back to the ground. Hospitalman McGrath was mortally wounded and died instantly. Due to the close proximity of the enemy and the heavy volume of fire the helicopter was receiving, the remains of the crew and passengers were not recovered.

Hospitalman McGrath was listed as Killed in Action/Body Not Recovered.

Hospitalman McGrath was born December 7, 1948, in Joliet, Illinois, and listed Chicago, Illinois, as his Home of Record.