lest we forget

NIEDECKEN, RAYMOND ALVIS

Rank / Branch:

  • PRIVATE FIRST CLASS, U.S. MARINE CORP

Date Of Birth:

  • 1947-08-12

Country Of Loss:

  • SOUTH VIETNAM

Status:

  • HOSTILE, SMALL ARMS

Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground:​

  • GROUND

Other:

  • NOT MARRIED

Unit:

  • FIRST MARINE DIVISION

Date Of Loss:

  • 1967-12-28

Loss Coordinates:

  • QUANG NAM

Catagory:

  • BODY RETURNED

Awards & Decorations:

  • SEE BIO

VETERAN HAGI0GRAPHY

  • NIEDECKEN, RAYMOND ALVIS, PRIVATE FIRST CLASS, U.S. MARINE CORP, MIDLAND, MIDLAND COUNTY, TEXAS

AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

  • PURPLE HEART, NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL, VIETNAM SERVICE MEDAL, VIETNAM CROSS OF GALLANTRY WITH PALM, VIETNAM CAMPAIGN MEDAL, MARINE CORP COMBAT ACTION RIBBON

BIOGRAPHY

  • Raymond Niedecken was born in Midland, Texas the son of Ruth Maxine and Alvis Overton Niedecken. He was the oldest of 14 siblings. He attended Midland schools and last attended Midland High School. He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corp in spring of 1967. He completed his boot camp at the Marine Corp Recruit Training Depot at San Diego, California and his ITR at Camp Pendleton, California.
  • He started his tour in Vietnam on November 17, 1967, and was assigned to M Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, First Marine Division. He was killed three days after Christmas of 1967 when his company was engaging V.C. forces in a battalion operation on Go Noi, Island in the Quang Nam province. This operation was known as "Operation Auburn." He was shot to death by small arms fire in the engagement. He had been in Vietnam five weeks.
  • Raymond was buried with full military honors in the Fairview Cemetery in Midland. He was survived by his parents, his brothers; Carroll, Carl, Edwin, Norman, Clifford, Ronald, Kelly and Jeff; his sisters, Charolette, Linda, Nona, Royce and Teresa, all of the home.
  • His parents are now deceased. His mother died in March 2006. Carrol Niedecken, Carl and Edwin are now deceased as well as Charolette. His surviving siblings are Norman and Wife Bonnie; Clifford and wife Sandra, Ronald and wife Joelle, Kelly and wife Sheila, and Jeff and wife Jenell, all of Midland. He is also survived by his sisters; Linda and husband Ron Stanley, Nona and husband Carl Hollums, Royce Brown, and Teresa and husband Jerry Davis-Taylor all of Midland, Texas.
  • RAYMOND IN OKINAWA 1968
  • FAIRVIEW CEMETERY, MIDLAND, TEXAS