Joe Roger Melczek
Lance Corporal
K CO, 3RD BN, 3RD MARINES, 3RD MARDIV, III MAF
United States Marine Corps
Insko, Kentucky
February 11, 1947 to April 16, 1968
JOE R MELCZEK is on the Wall at Panel 50E, Line 18

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Combat Action Ribbon
 
Joe R Melczek
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17 Jun 2003

REMEMBERED

by a friend,
Tony Adkins
tladkins@mrtc.com

 
09 Aug 2006

REMEMBERED

by
Billy Richards
E-mail address is not available.

 

A Note from The Virtual Wall

The 3/3 Marines' Command Chronology for April 1968 includes the following entry:
"While OPCON to 3/4, a Company 'K' squad-sized killer team engaged an estimated NVA company on 16 April and was subsequently reinforced by the remainder of Company 'K' on 17 April. Twelve NVA KIAs were confirmed and two individual weapons captured, while Company 'K' suffered 5 KIA and 16 WIA Med Evacs."
The 3/4 Marines' Chronology offers additional information. The Kilo 3/3 squad was initially engaged by 20-30 NVA in a bunker complex at YD165655. The team was forced to withdraw with 1 WIA and 3 MIA members and was extracted by helo. The remainder of Kilo 3/3 moved into the area just before dark and set up a defensive position. At 0900 17 April Kilo 3/3 began to search the area and was in contact by 0920. India 3/4 was alerted and airlifted into the area shortly after noon and had linked up with Kilo 3/3 by 1435H. The two companies cleared the complex of NVA. Kilo 3/3's missing Marines were recovered by India 3/4 at 1515 - all three were dead. By late afternoon the bunker complex had been destroyed and the Marines were returned to the artillery base at C-3.

The five Marines who were killed in the engagement were

  • 1stLt Daniel J. Jaskiewicz, Grand Rapids, MI (04/16/1968)
  • Cpl John E. Malone, San Diego, CA (04/16/1968)
  • LCpl Joe R. Melczek, Insko, KY (04/16/1968)

  • LCpl Charles E. Allen, Newport News, VA (04/17/1968)
  • Pfc Alvin L. Pounds, Chicago, IL (04/17/1968)

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