Leo Vernon Beaulieu

Private First Class
E CO, 2ND BN, 5TH MARINES, 1ST MARDIV
United States Marine Corps
02 September 1944 - 16 May 1966
Lengby, Minnesota
Panel 07E Line 064

1ST MARDIV

5TH MARINES
Navy Cross

Purple Heart, National Defense, Vietnam Service, Vietnam Campaign

The database page for Leo Vernon Beaulieu

"It is better to have lived one day as a lion
than one thousand days as a sheep."
Inscription on the stone of
Lieutenant Colonel Charles G. Clinger
Section 8, Arlington National Cemetery


Navy Cross
The President of the United States
takes pride in presenting the

NAVY CROSS

posthumously to

LEO VERNON BEAULIEU
Private First Class
United States Marine Corps

for service as set forth in the following
CITATION:
For extraordinary heroism as a machine gunner serving with Company E, Second Battalion, Fifth Marines, First Marine Division (Reinforced), in action near Chu Lai, Republic of Vietnam, on 16 May 1966. Private Beaulieu's squad was engaged in search and destroy operations against Communist insurgent forces when it was ambushed by a Viet Cong force of sixty men. Heavy machine gun and automatic rifle fire from three sides pinned down the squad in an area offering little or no protection. Private Beaulieu was hit in the first volley of fire and knocked away from his machine gun. Although critically wounded in the chest, he crawled back to his gun and put it into action, delivering heavy, accurate fire on the enemy. He refused to take advantage of the limited cover available in order to bring punishing fire on the ambushing force, and as a result he was hit a second time as the machine gun malfunctioned. Still disregarding his own personal safety, he worked desperately to clear the weapon, and while doing so he received a third wound, which was fatal. Through his extraordinary initiative and inspiring valor in the face of almost certain death, he kept the enemy at a distance until reinforcements arrived, and enabled most of the members of his squad to be rescued. Private Beaulieu's calm and courageous actions under hostile fire upheld the highest traditions of the United States Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life in the cause of freedom.

Placed by a friend.
jmporras@raytheon.com
21 Apr 2003

25 Jun 2007

Uncle Leo,

Please stay with us and protect us as we work to use the wisdom of American Indian cultures to develop rituals to help all veterans.

The medals won by PFC Leo Vernon Beaulieu pictured on this memorial are the
    Navy Cross Medal;
    Bronze Star Medal with "V" Device;
    Purple Heart;
    National Defense Service Medal;
    Vietnam Service Medal with Bronze Star Device; and the
    Republic of Vietnam (RVN) Campaign Medal.
   

From his nephew,
Larry Gross
vetsrituals@yahoo.com

A Note from The Virtual Wall

The 2nd Bn, 5th Marines Command Chronology for May 1966 contains the following entry:

The two men killed in the firefight were LCpl Rodger L. Trammell, Independence, Missouri, and Pfc Leo V. Beaulieu, Lengby, Minnesota (Navy Cross).


The point-of-contact for this memorial is
a friend.
jmporras@raytheon.com 



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With all respect
Jim Schueckler, former CW2, US Army
Ken Davis, Commander, United States Navy (Ret)
Memorial first published on 21 Apr 2003
Last updated 02/05/2008