PFC Pedro Angel Rodriguez, Gary, IN on www.VirtualWall.org The Virtual Wall® Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall

Pedro, the son of Viola "S" Medellin of Gary Indiana, enlisted in the US Marine Corps on December 17, 1967 in Chicago Illinois arriving for duty in Vietnam on February 1, 1968.

Information from Marine Command Chronicles of Company B, 1st Tank Battalion, 1st Marine Division shows that during Operation MAMELUKE THRUST, on 30 May 1968, 1400 hours, 2 tanks were providing escort for a convoy which at grid AT 810545, along Route LTL-4, 9 Kilometers East of Thuong Duc when an NVA force sprung an ambush on the truck convoy transporting 155 mm artillery rounds on Route 4 half way between Hill 37 and their destination on Hill 55.

Vehicles came under heavy small arms and RPG rocket fire. One tank sustained 5 RPG hits, causing moderate damage to the vehicle. One USMC was wounded in action and medevaced from result of gun shot wounds. Both tanks fires in return with unknown results.

However, The security element assigned (Company C, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines and Company C, 5th Special Forces Group) to protect the vehicles with their cargo prevented the convoy from being overrun. Company C fought until a reaction force from Company I 3rd Battalion arrived forcing the enemy to withdraw from their attack.

During the initial stages of the ambush, a counter-attack by SGT Joseph and his Army of Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) security forces, allowed the Marine security forces to establish a perimeter and prevent the NVA from overrunning the convoy. Three Marines died in the action and six were wounded. SGT Joseph was killed during his counter-attack. The four men who were killed were:

Indiana area newspapers, on June 4, 1968 reported the deaths of 5 or 8 men from the Hoosier state. The articles similarly reported:

The Associated Press or United Press International - - WASHINGTON - - The Defense Department Monday listed eight Hoosiers among 205 American casualties in connection with the Vietnam fighting. Seven were Marines and one was an Army man. The latest fatalities increased Indiana's toll of battle deaths in the war to 674.

The Marines listed as killed in action were Cpl. John E. Flaskamp, son of Mr. and Mrs. John W. Flaskamp, 1448 E: Terrace Ave., Indianapolis; Cpl. Cecil H. Humphrey Jr., husband of Mrs. Cecil H. Humphrey Jr., 309 E. .Fifth St., Madison; Lance Cpl. Michael S. Smith, husband of Mrs. Michael S. Smith, 618 W. Oak St., Mitchell; Pfc. Chester Briscoe Jr., cousin of Mrs. Mary Cartwright, 512 Lincoln Ave., Apt. 51, Evansville; Pfc. Larry Jones son, son of Mr. and Mrs. Willie Henry, 4321 27th Place, Gary; Pfc. Pedro A. Rodriguez, son of Mrs. Viola S. Medellin, 112 West 8th Ave, Gary and Pvt. Donald P. Schuck, son of Mrs. Luella S. Schuck, RR 4, Brookville. Army 2nd Lt. Ronald L. Frazer, son of Major and Mrs. Lloyd D. Frazer, 1122 Harmony Lane, Jeffersonville, was removed from the missing in action list and confirmed Monday and added to the list of dead from hostile action.

PFC Rodriguez was survived by his mother, Viola S. Medellin, his stepfather, Floyd Medellin who were living in Gary Indiana at the time. He was also survived by his sister, Yolanda Rodriguez, Chicago, Illinois. PFC Pedro Angel Rodriguez is buried in Holy Cross Cemetery and Mausoleums, Calumet City, Illinois.