Melvin E. Newlin

He kept his machine gun firing to halt a deadly night attack

Melvin Earl Newlin was born in Wellsville, Ohio, on September 27, 1948. He graduated from Wellsville High School in June 1966 and enlisted in the United States Marine Corps the following month. After recruit and infantry training, he became a machine gunner. In March 1967 he joined the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division in Vietnam.

On the night of July 3–4, 1967, Private First Class Newlin was defending an outpost at Nong Son in Quang Nam Province with Company F. An enemy attack killed his four companions and wounded him. He continued firing his machine gun until a grenade knocked him unconscious. When he recovered, he returned to the weapon and fired into the attackers who had passed his position. He also prevented an enemy group from using a captured recoilless rifle against the Marines.

Newlin continued resisting until he was mortally wounded on July 4. His stand disrupted the assault and gave the other defenders time to respond. He was eighteen years old. President Richard Nixon presented his posthumous Medal of Honor to his family at the White House on March 18, 1969. Newlin was buried at Spring Hill Cemetery in Wellsville.

Medal of Honor citation excerpt

“For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty”

Full official citation: https://www.cmohs.org/recipients/melvin-e-newlin