lest we forget

PERRY, ELMER JOSEPH, JR.

Rank / Branch:

  • SERGEANT, U.S. MARINE CORP

Date Of Birth:

  • 1944-07-04

Country Of Loss:

  • SOUTH VIETNAM

Status:

  • HOSTILE-ROCKET PROPELLED GRENADE

Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground:​

  • GROUND

Other:

  • MARRIED

Unit:

  • THIRD MARINE DIVISION

Date Of Loss:

  • 1968-04-30

Loss Coordinates:

  • QUANG TRI

Catagory:

  • BODY RETURNED

Awards & Decorations:

  • SEE BIO

VETERAN HAGI0GRAPHY

  • PERRY, ELMER JOESPH, JR., U.S. MARINE CORP, ODESSA, ECTOR, TEXAS

AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

  • BRONZE STAR WITH "V" DEVICE, PURPLE HEART, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL, VIETNAM SERVICE MEDAL, VIETNAM MILITARY MERIT MEDAL, VIETNAM CROSS OF GALLANTRY WITH PALM, VIETNAM CAMPAIGN MEDAL

BIOGRAPHY

  • Elmer Perry lived in Odessa and attended Odessa Schools prior to going into the Marine Corp. He enlisted in the Marine Corp in 1961 at age 17, trained in infantry and was making the Marine Corp his career. He re-enlisted in 1965. He was married.
  • He began his tour in Vietnam on January 11, 1968 and was assigned as a squad leader with D Company, 1st Battalion, 9th Marines. In late April 1968, it became apparent that the North Vietnamese Army was again moving across the DMZ into the area north of Dong Ha. On April 29, 1968, the ARVN 2nd Infantry Regiment sent its 1st and 4th Battalions in a pincer movement to locate and engage the NVA elements around An Binh. Task Force Robbie, consisting of Delta 1/9 Marines reinforced with tanks from Alpha 3rd Tanks, was sent to relieve the building pressure on the ARVN'S southern flank. .
  • "Robbie" ran into trouble at Cam Vu, about 5,000 meters west of An Binh, where a North Vietnamese blocking force was waiting for them. After taking 10 dead and 22 wounded in a six-hour fight against a clearly superior force, "Robbie" broke off contact and withdrew. The ARVN forces had absorbed 17 dead and 47 wounded, could not link up and also withdrew.
  • At this point, the 3rd Battalion, 9th Marines, was brought into the fight, advancing toward Cam Vu. India 3/9 was the first to make contact, encountering a "L" shaped ambush just north of Cam Vu. As 3/9's other three companies deployed in support of India, the NVA broke contact and withdrew under cover of artillery fire from within and north of the DMZ.
  • The fighting around Cam Vu was parallel by the engagements of the 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines who were in contact with elements of the 325tgh NVA Division at Dai Do, some 4 miles north of Cam Vu. These engagements-the 2nd ARVN Infantry, 1/9, and 3/9 at Cam Vu and 2/4 at Dai Do were the opening engagements in what became known as the Battle of Dong Ha.
  • While the Cam Vu fights cost the North Vietnamese at least 197 dead, Allied losses also were high: · 1ST Bn, 9th Marines -10 dead · 3rd Bn, 9th Marines - 36 dead · 1st and 4th Bn, 2nd ARVN Infantry - 17 dead .
  • Sergeant Perry was with "Task Force Robbie" and was among the 10 men killed in the opening engagement at Cam Vu. He was killed from multiple fragments wounds from a Rocket Propelled Grenade. He was buried with full military honors in the Good Shepard Cemetery in Huntington Beach, California. He was survived by his wife, Mattie and his two sons, the oldest Allan at age 2 and the youngest who was born May 2, 1968, three days after Sgt Perry was killed. Sergeant Perry was presented a posthumous Bronze Star with "V" device for the action that cost him his life. .
  • The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Bronze Star Meal posthumously to Sergeant Elmer J. PERRY, Jr. United States Marine Corps for service as set forth in the following CITATION: "For heroic achievement in connection with operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam while serving as a Platoon Guide with Company D, First Battalion, Ninth Marines, Third Marine Division. On 29 April 1968, Company D was moving through an area near Cam Lo when the unit came under intense small arms fire from a North Vietnamese Army force, pinning down Sergeant's Perry's platoon and inflicting numerous casualties. Realizing the seriousness of the situation, he unhesitatingly exposed himself to hostile fire in order to move to an advantageous position from which to deliver M-79 grenade launcher fire against the enemy. Completely disregarding his own safety, he provided accurate covering fire which accounted for three North Vietnamese confirmed killed and facilitated the evacuation of several Marine casualties. While subsequently maneuvering to another firing position, he was mortally wounded by the hostile fire. Sergeant PERRY'S bold initiative, dauntless courage and selfless devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Services." The Combat "V" is authorized. For the President: John J. Hyland Admiral, U.S. Navy Commander in Chief U.S. Pacific Fleet Transcribed from a copy of the citation by Billy M. Brown September 15, 2007
  • Sergeant Perry was buried in the Good Shepard Cemetery in Huntington Beach, California. He was survived by his wife, Madelyn, his two children of Anaheim California, his sister Pat Tennison of Odessa and his father of Alabama. His mother had passed away in 1964 in Odessa and is buried at Sunset Memorial Garden's Cemetery.
  • MARINE ID PHOTO 1961
  • GOOD SHEPPARD CEMETERY, HUNTINGTON BEACH, CALIFORNIA