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Jerry Lewien Remembers Ops Before and After  LZ Margo

by Lance Corporal Jerry Lewien

Golf Company, BLT 2/26

"I had carried a radio on my share of patrols and LPs. Nothing prepared me for what was to come."

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"I called in the medevac and when it arrived the gun ships were circling above wanting to know where the last enemy contact was.

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"Well, since we were in the DMZ I said, "All around!"

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LCpl Jerry Lewien

Golf Company, BLT 2/26

My First Nine Months

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I joined the Marine Corps right out of high school in 1967. Upon completion of training in December, I was sent to Vietnam where I was assigned to Golf Company, 2/26. My unit moved to Khe Sanh in January 1968 where I spent my 19th birthday, January 22.

 

After Khe Sanh we moved around a lot, and I don’t know where as I was a low life private, PFC and lance corporal.

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LCpl Jerry Lewien after he started carrying a radio. Says Lewien, "No Purple Heart by the grace of God."  Photo courtesy of Jerry Lewien.

I had carried a radio on my share of patrols and LPs [listening posts]. Nothing prepared me for what was to come.

 

Midnight Resupply Run

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The first of September 1968, I was assigned as the radio operator for my platoon replacing Cpl. James Everly who had been the platoon radio operator. About 8 September, we came out of the field to the Rockpile.  We were occupying pre-made positions just above a stream. We had not had a resupply for a few days and had not had any chow. Upon seeing the stacks of C-rations belonging to the artillery unit behind us, it was obvious what I had to do.

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When it was dark, another Marine and I did a low crawl over to the stack and each took a case of C-rations and back to our lines we went. We distributed what we had but needed more. We returned to the stack and each took two cases, which was a big mistake. We were caught.

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I explained the situation and was scared out of my wits, when our captor said, “Next time just ask.”

 

Away we went.

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(c) 2023, DMZ Rats of Battalion Landing Team 2/26. All rights reserved.

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