United States. A Posthumous Congressional Medal of Honor to Private First Class Melvin Earl Newlin for Gallantry at Nong Son 1967

Includes: 

Group of Seven: 

1. Navy Medal of Honor, Type X (1964-present): in bronze gilt, engraved "MELVIN EARLE NEWLIN / PRIVATE FIRST CLASS / USMC / FOR EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM AND CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY IN ACTION ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY AS MACHINE GUNNER 1ST MARINE DIV. PRIV. NEWLIN SINGLEHANDEDLY

BROKE UP AND DISORGANIZED AN ENTIRE ENEMY ASSAULT FORCE, CAUSING FELLOW MARINES TO BEAT OFF THE ENEMY SECOND ATTACK. AT QUANG NAM PROVINCE, REP. OF VIETNAM ON 3 AND 4 JULY 1967. HE GALLANTLY GAVE UP HIS LIFE IN DEFENSE OF HIS COUNTRY", measuring 53 mm (w) x 61.5 mm (h) inclusive of its anchor suspension, on its original full-length neck ribbon with thirteen star horizontal octagonal cravat pad, triple snap closure, accompanied by its Ribbon Bar and its Rosette. 

2. Silver Star Medal: two-piece construction, silvered bronze star, mounted to a bronze gilt star base, engraved "MELVIN E. NEWLIN" on the reverse, measuring 36 mm (w) x 45 mm (h) inclusive of its integral suspension, original ribbon with brooch pinback, accompanied by its Ribbon Bar. 

3. Bronze Star Medal: in bronze, engraved "MELVIN E. NEWLIN" on the reverse, measuring 36.8 mm (w) x 45.5 mm (h) inclusive of its integral suspension, original ribbon with brooch pinback, accompanied by its Ribbon Bar. 

4. Purple Heart: two-piece construction, in bronze gilt with red, white, green and purple enamels, engraved "MELVIN E. NEWLIN" on the reverse, measuring 35 mm (w) x 47 mm (h) inclusive of its laterally-pierced ball suspension, original ribbon with brooch pinback, accompanied by its Ribbon Bar.  

5. National Defense Service Medal: in bronze, measuring 32 mm in diameter, original ribbon with brooch pinback, accompanied by its Ribbon Bar. 

6. Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam), Gallantry Cross: in bronze, measuring 38 mm (w) x 64.5 mm (h) inclusive of its dual dragons suspension, bronze palm affixed to its original ribbon. 

7. Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam), Campaign Medal 1960-: two-piece construction, in bronze gilt with green, white and red enamels, measuring 37.7 mm (w) x 58 mm (h) inclusive of its integral suspension, 1960- clasp affixed to its original ribbon with dual push pins, accompanied by its Ribbon Bar. 

also included are: 

United States Marine Corps Collar Badge Pair: in blackened bronze, measuring 24.5 mm (w) x 25.5 mm (h) each, both with a screwback.  

Army Rifle Marksmanship Badge: in silvered alloy, maker marked "1E" (Emblem Supply Co., Inc., Central Falls, Rhode Island) on the reverse, measuring 37.8 mm (w) x 44 mm (h) inclusive of its "Expert Rifleman" hanger with pinback. 

Accompanied by extensive paperwork, including his citation, a Department of Defense News Release, along with family information dated at Wellsville, Ohio on June 20, 2013. 

Footnote: Private First Class Melvin Earl Newlin was a Vietnam War Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. He was born on September 27, 1948 in Wellsville, Columbiana County, Ohio, the son of Joseph Leonard Newlin (1917-1969) and Ruth June Weekley Newlin (1923-1991). He was one of seven siblings in the Newlin family and graduated from Wellsville High School on June 6, 1966. On July 18, 1966, at the age of 18, Newlin enlisted in the United States Marine Corps at Cleveland, Ohio, and was ordered to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, South Carolina, where he received recruit training with the 1st Recruit Training Battalion. Upon graduation in September 1966, he was transferred to Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, and underwent infantry training with the 2nd Infantry Training Battalion, 1st Infantry Training Regiment and then completed special weapons training. In October 1966, he was assigned duty as a machine gunner with Company F, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marines, 2nd Marine Division, at Camp Lejeune and was promoted to Private First Class on January 1, 1967. 

Newlin was transferred to the Republic of Vietnam in March 1967 and joined the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division, participating in numerous operations, including Operations New Castle, Mountain Goat, Union, and Calhoun. Private First Class Newlin was awarded his MOH for actions at Quảng Nam Province, Republic of Vietnam, on July 3-4, 1967 during the Vietnam War. His heroic actions would cost him his life. In an attack on Firebase Nong Son in early July 1967, a U.S. Marine Corps fire support base southwest of Da Nang in Quảng Nam Province, Republic of Vietnam, a platoon from F Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines were dug in at the base, a second platoon occupied the middle level, and the third platoon with recoilless rifles and mortars occupied the 656-foot-high summit. On the night of July 3rd-4th, an estimated 400 North Vietnamese Army (NVA) assaulted the hilltop. The surprise attack was achieved when the enemy, over several days, employed discarded U.S. ammo boxes to create wooden stairsteps up an unscalable side of the hill. Ironically, on July 3rd, their plans were nearly exposed when Marines were to burn off overgrown brush on that side of the hill but were unable to get their flamethrowers to operate. Moreover, the Marines missed an important clue that something was afoot when Nong Son villagers failed to appear for their daily visit to the hilltop to hawk their wares.

As the sun set, NVA sappers were in place near the peak. At 11:27 PM, a listening post radioed, “I have movement to my front…they’re all around me…we’ve been overrun!” The enemy attacked with small arms and mortar fire, throwing satchel charges into occupied bunkers and an ammo dump, setting aflame ordinance on the hilltop. Nevertheless, the Marines on top fought back tenaciously. Down below, their comrades were unable to assist, and called their sister E Company, a mile away, to relieve them so they could go up and help. After arriving, the remaining elements of F Company moved to the top of the hill, quickly establishing advantageous machine gun positions, and pushed the enemy off at 1:17 AM. Recapturing the hilltop cost thirteen Marines lives plus three members of a U.S. Army searchlight team embedded with them. Over forty others were wounded. The lost Americans included: (F/2/5) SGT Tony Ahinzow, LCPL James E. Ball III, LCPL Joseph L. Hicks, LCPL Arthur Lanteigne, PVT Andrew Currie, and PFC Melvin E. Newlin (posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor); (H&S, 2/5) LCPL Walter D. Buschleiter, LCPL Raymond L. Hyson, CPL Danny P. Riesberg and PFC Ronald D. Reyes; (107 Mortar Btry, 3rd Bn, 11th Marines) CPL James H. Cooney, LCPL Anthony M. Schmutz, and PFC Richard L. McKinnell; and (G Btry, 29th Arty) SP4 Andreas McCurry, SP4 Waylen L. Powell, and PFC Arnold R. Palmer. Forty-two NVA were reported killed.

On March 18, 1969, Private First Class Newlin was posthumously awarded his MOH by President Richard Milhous Nixon at the White House in Washington, D.C., with his family accepting. His citation states: "For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a machine gunner attached to the First Platoon, Company F, Second Battalion, Fifth Marines, First Marine Division, in the Republic of Vietnam, on 3 and 4 July 1967. Pfc. Newlin, with four other marines, was manning a key position on the perimeter of the Nong Son outpost when the enemy launched a savage and well coordinated mortar and infantry assault, seriously wounding him and killing his four comrades. Propping himself against his machinegun, he poured a deadly accurate stream of fire into the charging ranks of the Viet Cong. Though repeatedly hit by small-arms fire, he twice repelled enemy attempts to overrun his position. During the third attempt, a grenade explosion wounded him again and knocked him to the ground unconscious. The Viet Cong guerrillas, believing him dead, bypassed him and continued their assault on the main force. Meanwhile, Private Newlin regained consciousness, crawled back to his weapon, and brought it to bear on the rear of the enemy, causing havoc and confusion among them. Spotting the enemy attempting to bring a captured 106 recoilless weapon to bear on other marine positions, he shifted his fire, inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy and preventing them from firing the captured weapon. He then shifted his fire back to the primary enemy force, causing the enemy to stop their assault on the marine bunkers and to once again attack his machinegun position. Valiantly fighting off two more enemy assaults, he firmly held his ground until mortally wounded. Private Newlin had single-handedly broken up and disorganized the entire enemy assault force, causing them to lose momentum and delaying them long enough for his fellow marines to organize a defense and beat off their secondary attack. His indomitable courage, fortitude, and unwavering devotion to duty in the face of almost certain death reflect great credit upon himself and the Marine Corps and upheld the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service." 

Private First Class 

Melvin Earl Newlin, F Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, United States Marine Corps died on July 4, 1967, at the age of 18, in Quảng Nam, Vietnam. His body was returned to the United States, with Newlin buried with full military honors at Spring Hill Cemetery in Wellsville, Columbiana County, Ohio, Section 18, Lot 47. Before joining the Marines Corps, as a young man, he was locally respected and was known for being kind and helpful, e.g. shoveling snow, cleaning yards, caring for others. Though the town despaired at his death, they believed that he was the kind of man to make a sacrifice to protect his friends. His funeral was one of the biggest funerals ever attended in Wellsville. The Wellsville Memorial Council, the local American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars gathered donations from many Wellsville residents to create the Newlin Memorial Chapel, a small brick building with a glass front and pews inside, that sits in Spring Hill Cemetery. A former classmate, F.D. Leyda said "The memorial is what we could afford. It is about honor, not about display". Private First Class Melvin Earl Newlin's name also appears on the Vietnam Veterans War Memorial in Washington, D.C., Panel 23E, Line 5. Also, the community has continued to preserve his memory, as he was inducted into the Lou Holtz Upper Ohio Valley Hall of Fame, with a portion of Ohio Route 7 named after him. In addition, Newlin Hall in Quantico, Virginia is named after him.