Alfred Mac Wilson

The database page for Alfred Mac Wilson

06 Jan 2004 Mac was from Odessa, Texas, an oil field town in West Texas. Mac had a smile you couldn't forget. I remember meeting him when I was a senior in high school and he was a sophomore. Most seniors wouldn't associate with sophomores. Mac wouldn't let you look down on him, it wasn't a hostile thing, he had a way with his personality to make you respect him. I remember that stuck with me. It was years before I realized that Mac had been killed in Vietnam. I was home on leave at the time from my tour in Vietnam. I had come on home on February 20, 1969 and Mac was killed in March 3, 1969. I didn't want to know anything about what was going on Vietnam during that time period, even when it involved home town events. Years later when I realized that not only had Mac been killed, but that he earned the Medal of Honor, I remember thinking it was so typical of Mac, as what ever he did to earn it, he wouldn't have thought about it and he would have just done it. That was Mac. He was unselfish. Mac was the second Odessan to win the Medal of Honor in Vietnam. The other is Marvin Rex Young. Rex was another friend of mine. Mac is buried about fifty feet from Rex on the same row in a beautiful section of the Sunset Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Odessa. There in that section are buried many of Odessa's other sons who lost their lives in Vietnam. Billy M. Brown 4015 Melody Lane, Odessa, Texas 79762 bmbrown@grandecom.net The President of the United States in the name of the Congress of the United States takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR posthumously to ALFRED MAC WILSON Private First Class United States Marine Corps for service as set forth in the following CITATION: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a rifleman with Company M in action against hostile forces. While returning from a reconnaissance-in-force mission in the vicinity of Fire Support Base Cunningham, the 1st Platoon of Company M came under intense automatic weapons fire and a grenade attack from a well concealed enemy force. As the center of the column was pinned down, the leading squad moved to outflank the enemy. Pfc. Wilson, acting as squad leader of the rear squad, skillfully maneuvered his men to form a base of fire and act as a blocking force. In the ensuing fire fight, both his machine gunner and assistant machine gunner were seriously wounded and unable to operate their weapons. Realizing the urgent need to bring the weapon into operation again, Pfc. Wilson, followed by another marine and with complete disregard for his safety, fearlessly dashed across the fire-swept terrain to recover the weapon. As they reached the machinegun, an enemy soldier stepped from behind a tree and threw a grenade toward the 2 marines. Observing the grenade fall between himself and the other marine, Pfc. Wilson, fully realizing the inevitable result of his actions, shouted to his companion and unhesitating threw himself on the grenade, absorbing the full force of the explosion with his own body. His heroic actions inspired his platoon members to maximum effort as they aggressively attacked and defeated the enemy. Pfc. Wilson's indomitable courage, inspiring valor and selfless devotion to duty upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.

20 Dec 2006 I would like to thank the many people who have honored my brother. He is our hero and has been missed and loved every single day. He has many nieces and nephews and also great- and great-great nieces and nephews who know the honorable man he is. Merry Christmas, our dear Angel. Love from your big sister. From his sister, Marilyn Sue Wilson 317 West 12th Street, San Angelo, Tx. 76903 amiee0771@comcast.net

A Note from The Virtual Wall From mid-January through mid-March the 3rd Bn, 9th Marines were conducting Operation DEWEY CANYON, a search and destroy mission where the A Shau Valley meets the SVN/Laotian border. On 03 March 1969 Mike 3/9 was workng along Route 5481, a dirt track which ran from the A Shau Valley into Laos, when they encountered an NVA platoon. Three men were killed during the resulting fire-fight: Pfc Gene O. Merriweather, Clarksville, TN Pfc George P. White, Orlando, FL Pfc Alfred M. Wilson, Odessa, TX (Medal of Honor)

The point-of-contact for this memorial is his sister, Marilyn Sue Wilson 317 West 12th Street, San Angelo, Tx. 76903 amiee0771@comcast.net

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With all respect
Jim Schueckler, former CW2, US Army
Ken Davis, Commander, United States Navy (Ret)
Memorial first published on 6 Jan 2004
Last updated 02/16/2007