Vincent Palmieri Jr

Vincent Palmieri Jr. entered the Marine Corps on January 7, 1966, and served with the 1st Battalion, 9th Marines, known as “The Walking Dead,” in Vietnam, including during Operation Buffalo.

He earned his first Purple Heart in early March 1967 after being struck by shrapnel to the neck while walking point behind a tank in Quang Tri Province. His second Purple Heart came in early July 1967 when a mortar round or RPG made a direct hit on his bunker at Con Thien, wounding his right arm, back, hip, and buttocks, as the NVA tried to overrun their position.

Along with his two Purple Hearts, Cpl. Palmieri received the Vietnam Service Medal with two Bronze Service Stars, two Presidential Unit Citations with Bronze Star, the Meritorious Unit Citation, the Gallantry Cross Medal Color with Palm, the Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation, and the Civil Action Medal First Class Color with Palm.