Thomas McEntee

Private First Class
C CO, 1ST BN, 7TH MARINES, 3RD MARDIV
United States Marine Corps
30 March 1946 - 28 March 1966
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Panel 06E Line 057

3RD MARDIV

7TH MARINES
Purple Heart, National Defense, Vietnam Service, Vietnam Campaign

The database page for Thomas McEntee

22 Sep 2001

Battalion Landing Team (BLT) 1/7 was supposed to land on 13 August 1965 but our mail address was "Marine 13" and the Colonel would not land a "Marine 13" on Friday the 13th so we went ashore on 14 August. Our designation was changed from BLT 1/7 to 1st Bn, 7th Marines, 4th Brigade, but we were then assigned to the 3rd Marine Division.

SEMPER FIDELIS

McEntee was one of eleven Charlie 1/7 Marines killed in action during
Operation INDIANA .

A memorial from a fellow 1/7 Marine,
who wishes to remain anonymous.
E-mail address is not available.

05 June 2003

Thomas McEntee

The photo and following article is taken from The Philadelphia Daily News, special supplement entitled 'SIX HUNDRED AND THIRTY,' October 26, 1987. The special supplement was issued in conjunction with the dedication of the Philadelphia Viet Nam Memorial.

The youngest of 12 children, McEntee attended West Catholic High School before enlisting in the Marine Corps in January 1964. Prior to joining the Marines, McEntee worked as a kitchen employee with ARA Services Co. He told a sister that his dream was to operate his own "family style" restaurant after he got home from Viet Nam. McEntee, a machine gunner, was assigned to Company C of the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 3rd Marine Division. He died on March 28, 1966, in Chu Lai, Quang Ngai Province, two days before he was scheduled to return to the United States. The private first class was survived by his mother, six brothers and four sisters.

SEMPER FIDELIS, MARINE!

From a native Philadelphian and Marine,
Jim McIlhenney
christianamacks@comcast.net

08 Sep 2005

To Tom McEntee, Marine:

I wasn't a Marine, but at least three of my family members were in the Corps, serving in WWII and Korea. Nonetheless, Tom, we have a lot in common.

Like you, I served in Viet Nam, but as a member of the Special Forces. I made it back (in '64), you didn't.

Like you I was from a large Catholic family in the Northeastern part of the country (9 kids in the Bronx) and I was close to the end of the litter.

Like you, I once had dreams of opening a restaurant some day.

Like you, I was proud to serve our country in war time. But you paid a higher price to do so.

So, Marine, I salute you.
Thomas (Tom) McEntee
1st Special Forces Group (Abn)
Viet Nam 1963-1964
2020 Beech Avenue # A16, Nashville, Tn 37204
aquarius_productions@msn.com

A Note from The Virtual Wall

A few days afterwards, the 7th Marines were assigned to the newly arrived 1st Marine Division, and remained a part of the 1st MarDiv until the Regiment was withdrawn in the fall of 1970.




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With all respect
Jim Schueckler, former CW2, US Army
Ken Davis, Commander, United States Navy (Ret)
Last updated 08/10/2009