THE WALL OF FACES

PRIVATE FIRST CLASS


MELVIN EARL NEWLIN


served as a


MACHINE GUNNER


with the


1st PLATOON

2nd BATTALION

5th MARINES

1st MARINE DIVISION ( REINFORCED )

FLEET MARINE FORCE


and was a posthumous recipient of the


CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR


who rests in honored glory in


SPRING HILL CEMETERY


WELLSVILLE, OHIO



************************************************************


The award of the


CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR


was presented to his family

on 18 March 1969

at

The White House

by the

President of the United States of America

Richard M. Nixon



************************************************************




~~~~~ SEMPER FIDELIS ~~~~~




THE PROUD YOUNG VALOR THAT ROSE ABOVE THE MORTAL

AND THEN, AT LAST, WAS MORTAL AFTER ALL





YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN

NOR SHALL YOU EVER BE

Medal of Honor Recipient
(Posthumous)

His citation reads:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a machine gunner attached to the First Platoon, Company F, Second Battalion, Fifth Marines, First Marine Division, in the Republic of Vietnam on 3 and 4 July 1967. Private Newlin with four other Marines, was manning a key position on the perimeter of the Nong Son outpost when the enemy launched a savage and well coordinated mortar and infantry assault, seriously wounding him and killing his four comrades. Propping himself against his machine gun, he poured a deadly accurate stream of fire into the charging ranks of the Viet Cong. Though repeatedly hit by small arms fire, he twice repelled enemy attempts to overrun his position. During the third attempt, a grenade explosion wounded him again and knocked him to the ground unconscious. The Viet Cong guerrillas, believing him dead, bypassed him and continued their assault on the main force. Meanwhile, Private Newlin regained consciousness, crawled back to his weapon, and brought it to bear on the rear of the enemy causing havoc and confusion among them. Spotting the enemy attempting to bring a captured 106 recoilless weapon to bear on other Marine positions, he shifted his
fire, inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy and preventing them from firing the captured weapon. He
then shifted his fire back to the primary enemy force, causing the enemy to stop their assault on the Marine bunkers and to once again attack his machine gun position. Valiantly fighting off two more enemy assaults, he firmly held his ground until mortally
wounded. Private Newlin had single-handedly broken up and disorganized the entire enemy assault force, causing them to lose momentum and delaying them long enough for his fellow Marines to organize a defense and beat off their secondary attack. His
indomitable courage, fortitude, and unwavering devotion to duty in the face of almost certain death reflected great credit upon himself and the Marine Corps
and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.