TBS 2-67 Cruisebook_Updated_7Jan23

Jerry Claude Bennett
We were in and out of Charlie Two all the time. This
particular morning, we had both come back
through the wire at about the same time and
someone told us to get cleaned up and put on
clean uniforms. They didn't tell us why. At about
10 am. a helicopter landed on the road and this
full colonel stepped out and pinned these Purple
Hearts on us. That's me shaking his hand and
Jerry is on the left looking stern. I don't remember
who the young guy in the glasses was. We had
operated around Con Thien for a while before we
actually had to go in and spend some time at the
irebase. Jerry went in irst and I was with a unit
operating just to the east in the ield. About a
month later when I was sitting in a helicopter
about to ly into Con Thien, Jerry ran up to the
door of the chopper and yelled at me to stay away
from an old French bunker on the north face. He
was real serious. He had come a long ways across
our position to tell me that. I stayed out of that old
concrete bunker. This was a bad area in 1967.
There were a lot of casualties. Lt. Doherty who
also knew Jerry, was killed in July. That morning,
the 2nd, we took 85 KIAs. in less than an hour. In
September, Con Thien took a thousand rounds of
artillery every day the whole month. When
Lieutenant Bennett was killed it was all a blur. So
many guys had been killed, I was losing track. But
when the word came down about Jerry most of my
friends just left me alone for a while. He was a ine
man, but of course you know that. I'm happy to be
able to give you this picture and to tell you that he
had friends there. I've been to the memorial in
Washington and found Jerry's name. I've told my
son who he was and what kind of a man he was.
Vietnam changed us all. After all these years
please accept my deepest sympathy. I miss him
too.
Sincerely, Mike
January 23, 2003
Hand Salute to this Marine Hero Lieut Jerry Claude
Bennett! Semper Fi RIP!
JOHN O'DONNELL
MARINE VETERAN
HONORING ONE OF THE BEST, A MARINE
THIS MAN HAS GIVEN OF HIMSELF EVERTHING HE
COULD, SO THAT HIS BROTHER MARINES AND THE
PEOPLE BACK HOME COULD LIVE A MORE
PEACEFUL LIFE. THIS GIFT OF HIS LIFE SHOWS THE
GREATNESS OF THIS HERO. HERO'S DON'T WEAR A
CAPE OR MASK NO! THEY WEAR MARINE GREEN.
HERO'S COME IN DIFFERENT SHAPE'S AND SIZE'S.
AS EACH DAY PASSES,WE MUST TAKE THE TIME TO
REMEMBER WHAT THIS HERO GAVE UP! SO THAT
WE COULD LIVE IN A FREE SOCIETY. THANK YOU !
SEMPER FI! HERO YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN.
DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU ARE A 2YR, 3YR, 4YR,
ENLISTMENT OR A DRAFTEE OR RESERVIST,
OFFICER OR ENLISTED. YOU HAVE EARNED THE
TITLE OF UNITED STATES MARINE! A NATION
CRIES OUT FOR THE LOSS OF ONE OF ITS SON'S. I
AM HONORED TO WRITE ON HIS MEMORIAL
Sep 16, 2014
Diane H.
bluebery@dotnet.com
respecting a fallen hero
M‐8