CLAUSEN, RAYMOND M.
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S.
Marine Corps, Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 263, Marine Aircraft Croup 16,
1st Marine Aircraft Wing. Place and date: Republic of Vietnam, 31 January 1970.
Entered service at: New Orleans, La. Born: 14 October 1947, New Orleans, La.
Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life
above and beyond the call of duty while serving with Marine Medium Helicopter
Squadron 263 during operations against enemy forces. Participating in a
helicopter rescue mission to extract elements of a platoon which had
inadvertently entered a minefield while attacking enemy positions, Pfc. Clausen
skillfully guided the helicopter pilot to a landing in an area cleared by 1 of
several mine explosions. With 11 marines wounded, 1 dead, and the remaining 8
marines holding their positions for fear of detonating other mines, Pfc. Clausen
quickly leaped from the helicopter and, in the face of enemy fire, moved across
the extremely hazardous mine laden area to assist in carrying casualties to the
waiting helicopter and in placing them aboard. Despite the ever-present threat
of further mine explosions, he continued his valiant efforts, leaving the
comparatively safe area of the helicopter on 6 separate occasions to carry out
his rescue efforts. On 1 occasion while he was carrying 1 of the wounded,
another mine detonated, killing a corpsman and wounding 3 other men. Only when
he was certain that all marines were safely aboard did he signal the pilot to
lift the helicopter. By the courageous, determined and inspiring efforts in the
face of the utmost danger, Pfc. Clausen upheld the highest traditions of the
Marine Corps and of the U.S. Naval Service.
Raymond M. Clausen, Jr. lost his life to liver failure at age 56 on May 30, 2004. He rests today in Ponchatoula Cemetery, Ponchatoula, LA. His Vietnam-era unit, Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron (HMM) 263, today flies the Bell Boeing MV-22 Osprey in defense of our Nation as Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 263 from Marine Corps Air Station New River, NC.
PENRY, RICHARD A.
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company
C, 4th Battalion, 12th Infantry, 199th Infantry Brigade. Place and date: Binh
Tuy Province, Republic of Vietnam, 31 January 1970. Entered service at: Oakland,
Calif. Born: 18 November 1948, Petaluma. Calif. Citation: For conspicuous
gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the
call of duty. Sgt. Penry, Company C, distinguished himself while serving as a
rifleman during a night ambush mission. As the platoon was preparing the ambush
position, it suddenly came under an intense enemy attack from mortar, rocket,
and automatic weapons fire which seriously wounded the company commander and
most of the platoon members, leaving small isolated groups of wounded men
throughout the area. Sgt. Penry, seeing the extreme seriousness of the
situation, worked his way through the deadly enemy fire to the company command
post where he administered first aid to the wounded company commander and other
personnel. He then moved the command post to a position which provided greater
protection and visual communication and control of other platoon elements.
Realizing the company radio was damaged and recognizing the urgent necessity to
reestablish communications with the battalion headquarters, he ran outside the
defensive perimeter through a fusillade of hostile fire to retrieve a radio.
Finding it inoperable, Sgt. Penry returned through heavy fire to retrieve 2 more
radios. Turning his attention to the defense of the area, he crawled to the edge
of the perimeter, retrieved needed ammunition and weapons and resupplied the
wounded men. During a determined assault by over 30 enemy soldiers, Sgt. Penry
occupied the most vulnerable forward position placing heavy, accurate fire on
the attacking enemy and exposing himself several times to throw hand grenades
into the advancing enemy troops. He succeeded virtually single-handedly in
stopping the attack. Learning that none of the radios were operable, Sgt. Penry
again crawled outside the defensive perimeter, retrieved a fourth radio and
established communications with higher headquarters. Sgt. Penry then continued
to administer first aid to the wounded and repositioned them to better repel
further enemy attacks. Despite continuous and deadly sniper fire, he again left
the defensive perimeter, moved to within a few feet of enemy positions, located
5 isolated wounded soldiers, and led them to safety. When evacuation helicopters
approached, Sgt. Penry voluntarily left the perimeter, set up a guiding beacon,
established the priorities for evacuation and successively carried 18 wounded
men to the extraction site. After all wounded personnel had been evacuated, Sgt.
Penry joined another platoon and assisted in the pursuit of the enemy. Sgt.
Penry's extraordinary heroism at the risk of his own life are in keeping with
the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit on him,
his unit, and the U.S. Army.
Richard Penry passed away at age 45 in 1994. He rests in Cypress Hill Memorial Park in Petaluma, CA. His Vietnam unit, the 199th Infantry Brigade, currently trains the Army warriors of the future at Fort Benning, GA.
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