Today my walk was dedicated in honor of :
Marine PFC Ronnie Calvin Presley, Age 20 of Lebanon, TN.
KIA Mar. 6, 1968 Vietnam
Ronnie the husband of Donna L. Presley, loving father of Angela F. Presley, the son of Odell B. Presley and Ruby B. Presley of Lebanon Tennessee enlisted in the US Marine Corps on September 26 1967 in Shreveport Louisiana. In Vietnam he was assigned to and served with H&S Company, 1st Battalion, 26th Marines, 3d MARDIV (Rein) FMF.
On March 6, a C-123K 590 aircraft departed Phu Bai in Thua Tien Province with personnel bound for the Khe Sanh Combat Base in Hoa Huong District of northern Quang Tri Province. The aircraft never reached the destination and a ground search began to locate the missing aircraft and passengers. On April 25, Marines from Company E, 3d Marines discovered the remains of the downed C-123; it had been shot down by ground fire in the vicinity of the Da Krong River approximately 8 Kilometers east of Khe Sanh and all 56 on board had perished. The remains of 21 bodies were recovered and later identified; most were interred in a group burial at Jefferson Barracks Cemetery in Missouri. PFC Ronnie Presley, was one of the passengers and casualties on board the aircraft who was returning to his unit.
He was awarded the Purple Heart, National Defense, Vietnam Service, and Vietnam Campaign medals.
He is honored on Panel 43E, Line 30 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall.
He is buried in the Wilson County Memorial Park, Lebanon, TN.
We had a great walk this morning. We walked to the war memorials down town and then we walked to the City Cemetery where we visited and cleaned several military head stones.
I want to thank everyone who honked and waved in helping me honor this hero. It was amazing.
He will not be forgotten !
