Smith Eldon Wayne

Monuments

ISOB Eldon W. Smith

Canadian Vietnam Veterans' Memorial - The North Wall

Name:

Eldon Wayne Smith

Rank:

Sergeant

Serial Number:

Unit:

1st Marine Aircraft Wing

Date of Death:

1968-10-06

State:

Massachusetts

Cemetery:

Elmwood Cemetery, Moncton, Westmorland County, New Brunswick, Canada

Plot:

Row:

Grave:

Decoration:

Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart

Comments:

Born on July 13, 1947, in Eastport, Maine, Wayne, a dual citizen (USA / Canada), was the son of Lloyd R. Smith of Ottawa, Ontario, and Mary L. Smith. He enlisted in the US Marine Corps on November 16, 1965, in Boston, MA. He arrived for his first tour of duty in Vietnam and joined H&MS-36, MAG 36, FMAW in August 1966. On May 2, 1967, he was reassigned and joined HMM-262, MAG-36, 1st MAW, and remained with this unit until his death on October 6, 1968.

On October 6, the CH46-D from HMM-262, with Sgt Smith on board, took off on a medical evacuation mission during Operation LANCASTER II in northern Quang Tri Province to extract Marines who had been wounded. While attempting a landing near Thon Nhat Tan in Trieu Phong District, the descending aircraft began to receive hostile fire and was waved off from the hot LZ. Several rounds penetrated the aircraft, and Sgt Smith was struck by a hostile round, seriously wounding him.

Sgt Eldon Wayne Smith was presented with the Bronze Star Medal with Combat V posthumously for meritorious service from August 31, 1966, to October 6, 1968.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com