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PFC Melvin Earl Newlin

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PFC Melvin Earl Newlin Famous memorial Veteran

Birth
Wellsville, Columbiana County, Ohio, USA
Death
4 Jul 1967 (aged 18)
Quảng Nam, Vietnam
Burial
Wellsville, Columbiana County, Ohio, USA GPS-Latitude: 40.6046, Longitude: -80.6587
Plot
Section 18, Lot 47
Memorial ID
View Source
Vietnam War Medal of Honor Recipient. A native of Wellsville, Ohio, he served as a Private First Class, in the United States Marine Corps, 2d Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division (Rein), FMF. Private First Class Newlin was awarded his MOH for action at Quang Nam Province, Republic of Vietnam, on July 3-4, 1967, during the Vietnam War. His heroic actions caused him his life. On March 18, 1969, he was posthumously awarded his MOH by President Richard Milhous Nixon at the White House in Washington, D.C., with his family accepting. His citation reads-For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a machine gunner attached to the 1st Platoon, Company F, 2d Battalion, on 3 and 4 July 1967. Pfc. Newlin, with 4 other marines, was manning a key position on the perimeter of the Nong Son outpost when the enemy launched a savage and well coordinated mortar and infantry assault, seriously wounding him and killing his 4 comrades. Propping himself against his machinegun, he poured a deadly accurate stream of fire into the charging ranks of the Viet Cong. Though repeatedly hit by small-arms fire, he twice repelled enemy attempts to overrun his position. During the third attempt, a grenade explosion wounded him again and knocked him to the ground unconscious. The Viet Cong guerrillas, believing him dead, bypassed him and continued their assault on the main force. Meanwhile, Pfc. Newlin regained consciousness, crawled back to his weapon, and brought it to bear on the rear of the enemy, causing havoc and confusion among them. Spotting the enemy attempting to bring a captured 106 recoilless weapon to bear on other marine positions, he shifted his fire, inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy and preventing them from firing the captured weapon. He then shifted his fire back to the primary enemy force, causing the enemy to stop their assault on the marine bunkers and to once again attack his machinegun position. Valiantly fighting off 2 more enemy assaults, he firmly held his ground until mortally wounded. Pfc. Newlin had single-handedly broken up and disorganized the entire enemy assault force, causing them to lose momentum and delaying them long enough for his fellow marines to organize a defense and beat off their secondary attack. His indomitable courage, fortitude, and unwavering devotion to duty in the face of almost certain death reflect great credit upon himself and the Marine Corps and upheld the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.
Vietnam War Medal of Honor Recipient. A native of Wellsville, Ohio, he served as a Private First Class, in the United States Marine Corps, 2d Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division (Rein), FMF. Private First Class Newlin was awarded his MOH for action at Quang Nam Province, Republic of Vietnam, on July 3-4, 1967, during the Vietnam War. His heroic actions caused him his life. On March 18, 1969, he was posthumously awarded his MOH by President Richard Milhous Nixon at the White House in Washington, D.C., with his family accepting. His citation reads-For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a machine gunner attached to the 1st Platoon, Company F, 2d Battalion, on 3 and 4 July 1967. Pfc. Newlin, with 4 other marines, was manning a key position on the perimeter of the Nong Son outpost when the enemy launched a savage and well coordinated mortar and infantry assault, seriously wounding him and killing his 4 comrades. Propping himself against his machinegun, he poured a deadly accurate stream of fire into the charging ranks of the Viet Cong. Though repeatedly hit by small-arms fire, he twice repelled enemy attempts to overrun his position. During the third attempt, a grenade explosion wounded him again and knocked him to the ground unconscious. The Viet Cong guerrillas, believing him dead, bypassed him and continued their assault on the main force. Meanwhile, Pfc. Newlin regained consciousness, crawled back to his weapon, and brought it to bear on the rear of the enemy, causing havoc and confusion among them. Spotting the enemy attempting to bring a captured 106 recoilless weapon to bear on other marine positions, he shifted his fire, inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy and preventing them from firing the captured weapon. He then shifted his fire back to the primary enemy force, causing the enemy to stop their assault on the marine bunkers and to once again attack his machinegun position. Valiantly fighting off 2 more enemy assaults, he firmly held his ground until mortally wounded. Pfc. Newlin had single-handedly broken up and disorganized the entire enemy assault force, causing them to lose momentum and delaying them long enough for his fellow marines to organize a defense and beat off their secondary attack. His indomitable courage, fortitude, and unwavering devotion to duty in the face of almost certain death reflect great credit upon himself and the Marine Corps and upheld the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.

Bio by: The Silent Forgotten


Inscription

MEDAL OF HONOR
PFC
US MARINE CORPS
VIETNAM



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  • Maintained by: Find a Grave
  • Originally Created by: Don Morfe
  • Added: Apr 8, 2004
  • Find a Grave Memorial ID:
  • Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/8613169/melvin_earl-newlin: accessed ), memorial page for PFC Melvin Earl Newlin (27 Sep 1948–4 Jul 1967), Find a Grave Memorial ID 8613169, citing Spring Hill Cemetery, Wellsville, Columbiana County, Ohio, USA; Maintained by Find a Grave.