My great uncle...gave his life for US.
*BROWN, MARC A. (KIA)
Citation:.
The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Silver Star Medal (Posthumously) to Marc A. Brown (2297413), Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against enemy forces while serving as a Machine Gunner with the First Platoon, Company M, Third Battalion, First Marines, FIRST Marine Division (Reinforced) in the Republic of Vietnam on 21 April 1967. During Operation UNION, two companies of the Third Battalion, First Marines were helilifted into the Que Son Valley, in the vicinity of Nui Loc Son to reinforce an infantry company that was heavily engaged by a numerically superior enemy force estimated to be of battalion strength. The well-entrenched enemy immediately began delivering devastating mortar and small arms fire on the companies. During the ensuing battle, Private First Class Brown observed his Platoon Commander and several other Marines wounded and in an exposed area. For more than an hour, enemy fire was so intense that numerous attempts to evacuate the wounded failed. Realizing that the only chance to extract the wounded was to gain fire superiority, Private First Class Brown left his position with a M-60 machine gun and ran forward into the open rice paddy. He brought his fire to bear on a tree line, giving his fellow Marines covering fire to evacuate the wounded. During the vicious exchange of fire, he was mortally wounded. By his bold initiative, dauntless courage and selfless devotion to duty, he was instrumental in saving his comrades from further injury or possible death thereby upholding the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
Born: August 2, 1947 at Newport, Rhode Island
Home Town: Long Beach, California