"You guys are the Marine's doctors -
There's none better in the business than a Navy Corpsman ..."
-- Lieutenant General "Chesty" Puller --
The President of the United States
takes pride in presenting the
NAVY CROSS
posthumously to
MARTIN L. GILLESPIE JR.
Hospitalman 2nd Class
United States Navy
for service as set forth in the following
CITATION:
For extraordinary heroism as a platoon corpsman, 2nd Platoon, Company D, First Battalion, Fourth Marines during Operation TEXAS in the Republic of Vietnam against communist insurgent guerrilla forces on 21 March 1966. While engaged in a search and destroy mission, the 2nd Platoon came under a devastating volume of accurate small arms, semi-automatic weapons, and heavy caliber machine gun fire from concealed, fortified enemy positions about 75 meters to their front. Observing a Marine wounded as he attempted to knock out the enemy emplacements with a rocket launcher, Petty Officer Gillespie fearlessly dashed across 30 meters of exposed ground, completely disregarding the intense volume of fire. Upon reaching the critically wounded Marine, he quickly began administering life saving aid with calm professionalism. Although the surrounding area was raked continually with increasingly accurate enemy fire, Petty Officer Gillespie continued to work, remaining in the exposed position for several minutes until he had stopped the bleeding, and then, as he began to move the wounded Marine to cover, he was mortally struck by enemy fire. As a result of his expert professional skill and his selfless daring actions, the life of a Marine was spared. Petty Officer Gillespie gallantly gave his life for his country.
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A Note from The Virtual Wall
The 1st Battalion, 4th Marines lost eight men on 21 March 1966:
- HM2 Martin L. Gillespie, East Boston, MA (Navy Cross), H&S w/ Delta 1/4
- LCpl David G. Callis, Redwood City, CA, Bravo 1/4
- LCpl Ronnie E. Connacher, Houston, TX, Bravo 1/4
- Pfc John H. Franklin, Hughson, CA, H&S 1/4
- Pfc Willard J. Friese, Washington, IA, Alpha 1/4
- Pfc Roger L. Henderson, Portland, OR, Delta 1/4
- Pfc James R. Pace, Memphis, TN, H&S 1/4
- Pfc Terry L. Quinn, Huntington Beach, CA, Delta 1/4
Visit John Dennison's
Medics on the Wall
memorial which honors the
Army Medics and Navy Corpsmen who died in Vietnam.
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