Page 50 - The History of Veterans at Highland Springs

WELLS L. FIELD III
HIGHLAND SPRINGS RESIDENT, MARINES MEMBER, VETERANS AFFAIRS GROUP
Born August 28, 1930 in Baltimore, MD. Spent only one night there. Enlisted in U.S. Marine Corps 1945, but sent home from Parris Island, SC boot camp after 8 days because I was only 15. Enlisted in Marine Corps reserves legally at age 17. I was an Assistant Drill Instructor in 1950. At Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, CA I learned message center operations. At Base Camp Lejeune NC was Noncommissioned Officer in Charge and taught Message Center Operations. In 1952 I was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant and transferred to Camp Pendleton CA as a Platoon Leader of a Rifle Platoon, then Korea as a Platoon Leader and later a scout for Battalion S-2 (Intelligence). In 1954 I was Aide-de- Camp to the Commanding General Camp Pendleton and then Company Commander of Infantry Training. In 1956-1957 I was Captain and Company Commander of a rifle company with Second Marine Division G/2/8 Camp Lejeune, NC. In 1958-1959 I was an advisor to two regiments in Korea. In 1960-1963 I was promoted to Major and assigned as the Inspector-Instructor of a Marine Corps Reserve Company, Springfield, IL. In 1964-1966 I became a member of the Marine Corps Development Center in Quantico, VA. In 1966-1967 in Vietnam I was an Infantry Battalion Executive Officer and then Commanding Officer. After being wounded I was sent to Camp Pendleton for surgery, where I was assigned as Base Administrative Officer during 18 months of rehabilitation. In 1969-1970 at Great Lakes, IL as a Lieutenant Colonel I was Officer in Charge of its Correctional Center. In 1970 it was finally determined that my wounds in Vietnam would not allow me to perform properly in the infantry field, I retired and remained on inactive roll for three years as standby to man a processing center in case of national emergency.
My awards are: Bronze Star w/Combat V, Purple Heart, Combat Action Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, Good Conduct Medal, Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal, National Defense Medal, Korean Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Gallantry Cross w/Palm Medal, United Nations Korean Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medial, NATO Medal, Republic of Korea War Service Medal.
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