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| Navy Cross |
Birth: 1941
Death: February 12, 1970
Home: Wadesboro North Carolina
Service: U. S. Marines
Status: KIA
In Remembrance:
From 1950 through 1960 I attended school in Anson County, North Carolina. Our Lilesville High School Class of 1960 was the last Class in the old School and it was eventually torn down and replaced with a new elementary school.
One of our classmates was Jerry Lineberry. Just prior to the Senior year Jerry transferred to Wadesboro and graduated from the high school there; but, for most of our school years we knew Jerry as our classmate.
Like most young men of that era, you either volunteered or was drafted to serve in the Vietnam War. Jerry enlisted into the US Navy as a Marine. By the time he reached Vietnam in 1970 I had already served two tours with the Air Force in Thailand.
On 12 February 1970, while serving as a Platoon Sergeant with Company B, First Battalion, Seventh Marines, 1st Marine Division (Reinforced), in the Que Son Mountains of Quang Nam Province, the Marines came under a heavy fire.
Staff Sergeant Jerry Lineberry led a machine gun team across the fire-swept terrain to take out the enemy position. During this action he was mortally wounded but continue to direct his men until he gave the ultimate sacrifice for our country – his life. Jerry died that February day in a rice paddy while courageously fighting to protect his men and his platoon.[1]
For his extraordinary heroism that day Staff Sergeant Jerry Lineberry was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross.
You can read the entire citation accompanying this award at: http://goo.gl/iA0Bc
The Navy Cross is the second highest military decoration for valor that may be awarded to a member of the United States Navy, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard for extraordinary heroism in combat.[2]
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[1]http://projects.militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/recipient.php?recipientid=4216
[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navy_Cross
[3] Navy Cross Image courtesy of Wikipedia < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navy_Cross>
Nice write up dad. If anyone is interested this site, http://www.vvmf.org/thewall/Wall_Id_No=30790, has a picture of SSGT. Lineberry as well as some remembrances from colleagues. Thank you for your service SSGT.
ReplyDeleteThanks Son, appreciate the link. Jerry was a fine young man when we were kids in school together.
ReplyDelete