Wayne as he was known to his family and friends, a dual citizen (USA / Canada) was the son of Lloyd R. Smith of Ottawa Ontario and Mary L. Smith and dear brother of Hannah Smith of Moncton, New Brunswick Canada. 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 would remain 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 wounded he died at the 3d MED Battalion.
* Sgt Eldon Wayne Smith was presented with the BRONZE STAR Medal with Combat "V" posthumously "For meritorious service ....from 31 August 1966 to 6 October 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 wounded he died at the 3d MED Battalion.
* Sgt Eldon Wayne Smith was presented with the BRONZE STAR Medal with Combat "V" posthumously "For meritorious service ....from 31 August 1966 to 6 October 1968...."
Wayne as he was known to his family and friends, a dual citizen (USA / Canada) was the son of Lloyd R. Smith of Ottawa Ontario and Mary L. Smith and dear brother of Hannah Smith of Moncton, New Brunswick Canada. 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 would remain 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 wounded he died at the 3d MED Battalion.
* Sgt Eldon Wayne Smith was presented with the BRONZE STAR Medal with Combat "V" posthumously "For meritorious service ....from 31 August 1966 to 6 October 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 wounded he died at the 3d MED Battalion.
* Sgt Eldon Wayne Smith was presented with the BRONZE STAR Medal with Combat "V" posthumously "For meritorious service ....from 31 August 1966 to 6 October 1968...."
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