CPL Francis Trainor Mulvey, Fennimore, WI on www.VirtualWall.org The Virtual Wall® Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall

Remembering Francis Mulvey

On August 25, 1968, elements of B Company, 1st Battalion (Mechanized), 50th Infantry, 173rd Airborne Brigade were attacked by an estimated Company of enemy soldiers in the Binh Din Province, Republic of Vietnam. Heavy fire rained down on the Americans in the form of small arms, automatic weapons and B-40 rockets. Corporal Stephen Alan Jordan of Monrovia, California, the attached forward observer of B Battery, 2nd Battalion, 17th Field Artillery, grabbed the radio from the unit's radioman who had been shot and he himself was killed while calling for artillery support during the fierce fighting. Helicopter gunships were the first to arrive in support and sprayed the enemy with their arsenal of automatic weapons and rockets. A forward observer with another unit recalled hearing all hell breaking loose and by the time his unit mounted the Armored Personnel Carriers (APCs) and arrived at the action, the enemy had withdrawn back into the jungle. Jordon was 18 years old at the time of his death and left behind his wife, a nine-month-old son as well as his parents and a two-year-old brother.

Another Soldier, Fennimore's Private First Class Francis Mulvey tried to establish radio contact with higher headquarters but was unable to do so because the radio network was jammed. Realizing that any effort at radio contact was useless, Mulvey left his position and moved in the open at great risk to his life to his platoon's forward position. There he grasped a machinegun and began placing heavy and effective fire on the enemy. As members of the platoon began to withdraw to avoid enemy flanking maneuvers, Mulvey stayed behind to cover his comrades with his machinegun. Shortly thereafter intense hostile fire zeroed in on his position and he was mortally wounded.

Francis Trainor Mulvey, known as Francie, was born in Madison on November 20, 1944 and was the only child of Francis and Loretta Mulvey. He attended grade school at St. Mary's Catholic Grade School and can be identified in a photo with classmates Donald and Larry Smith, two other Fennimore heroes.

Francis attended Fennimore High School and was a member of the Class of 1963. During high school he was active in athletics being on the football team all four years. He was on the baseball team as a freshman and was the basketball and the track teams' manager. He was in chorus in his junior and senior years. Additionally, he played Robert Ablett in the play "Red House Mystery". He was active backstage in "Little Theater" and the Democrat Party.

He attended Wisconsin State University Platteville for three years and after his mother's death on August 14, 1967, he left school and joined the Army. He began Basic Training on November 29, 1967 at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. He attended Advance Individual Training at Fort Polk, Louisiana and was designated as an Infantry Rifleman. He reported for duty in the Republic of Vietnam on May 23, 1968 and was assigned to Company B, 1st Battalion (Mechanized) 50th Infantry, 173 Airborne Brigade.

Mulvey was posthumously promoted to the rank of Corporal. His Father received the honors earned by Francis to include the Bronze Star with "V" device (valor), Purple Heart, Good Conduct Medal, Vietnam Military Merit Medal and Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm. Other awards which Mulvey was entitled include the National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with 2 Bronze Stars, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm and Frame (unit citation) and Combat Infantry Badge.

This was a sad time for Fennimore residents, having lost three residents to include Staff Sergeant Donald Smith and Private Allen Peter (Pete) Novinska within 8 months of each other. The Fennimore Times published the comments of many friends and residents during this challenging time. Mulvey was a well known and liked by many as indicated by the variety of published interviews.

On this 50th anniversary of Corporal Francis Mulvey's death, his sacrifice as well as the sacrifice of others lost in the service to their country should always be in the hearts and minds of all Americans. Thank you, Corporal Francis Trainor Mulvey, for your service.

LtCol Mac Kolar USMC (Retired), Vietnam, of Moyock, North Carolina and Fennimore native. Colonel Kolar is responsible for the research of Smith, Mulvey and Demetris' service and assembling the award displays and donating them to the American legion.