Paul Andrew Jensen
First Lieutenant
VMO-6, MAG-36, 1ST MAW, III MAF
United States Marine Corps
Asheville, North Carolina
March 27, 1944 to February 16, 1968
PAUL A JENSEN is on the Wall at Panel 39E, Line 57

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Paul A Jensen
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29 Sep 2002

The Virtual Wall staff rarely sponsors a memorial to men that we did not personally know. On this day, however, we are sponsoring five of them ... for five Marines who died while trying to recover a 3rd Force Recon Company patrol force that was engaged with a far superior enemy force.

Four of the Marines were aircrewmen with Marine Observation Squadron 6; the fifth was a radioman with Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 4th Marines.

Although the circumstances of their deaths is spelled out in some detail on the Box Score Memorial (linked below), Captain Bobby Galbreath was the pilot-in-command of a UH-1E gunship; 1st Lt Paul Jensen was his copilot. They made a desperate attempt to extract three Box Score team members who were surrounded by North Vietnamese Army regulars.

Galbreath's effort failed; the UH-1E was shot down as he lifted off. Galbreath received the Navy Cross; Jensen the Silver Star.

The Box Score Patrol

The events surrounding the Box Score patrol's engagement and the efforts to extract the team are a glowing example of Marine heroism under fire and were recognized as such at the time. Five of eight Box Score Team members, four aircrewmen from VMO-6, and one infantryman from Bravo 1/4 Marines died on 16 February 1968 and a number of others were wounded. The actions of the men involved in the engagement were recognized by one Medal of Honor, three Navy Crosses, five Silver Stars, and two Bronze Stars.

The Virtual Wall takes pride in honoring the Americans who died in the Box Score engagement, and through them the men who survived. Details of the engagement are published on the

Box Score Memorial Page

The following Marines are honored on The Virtual Wall:

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