Michael was killed while serving with US Army Special Forces in Vietnam 1968. He was awarded the "Silver Star" for actions of valor while in combat. Michael and other Special Forces troops were attempting to break a seige at a Special Forces Camp in 1 Corps. Rest in Peace, Brother. You are greatly missed.
"Information from Marine Command Chronicles of Company B, 1st Tank Battalion, 1st Marine Division shows that during Operation MAMELUKE THRUST, on 30 May 1968, 1400 hours, 2 tanks were providing escort for a convoy which at grid AT 810545, along Route LTL-4, 9 Kilometers East of Thuong Duc when an NVA force sprung an ambush on the truck convoy transporting 155 mm artillery rounds on Route 4 half way between Hill 37 and their destination on Hill 55. Vehicles came under heavy small arms and RPG rocket fire. One tank sustained 5 RPG hits, causing moderate damage to the vehicle. One USMC was wounded in action and medevaced from result of gun shot wounds. Both tanks fires in return with unknown results. However, The security element assigned (Company C, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines and Company C, 5th Special Forces Group) to protect the vehicles with their cargo prevented the convoy from being overrun. Company C fought until a reaction force from Company I 3rd Battalion arrived forcing the enemy to withdraw from their attack. During the initial stages of the ambush, a counter-attack by SGT Joseph and his Army of Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) security forces, allowed the Marine security forces to establish a perimeter and prevent the NVA from overrunning the convoy. Three Marines died in the action and six were wounded. SGT Joseph was killed during his counter-attack. The four men who were killed were: C Company, 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment PFC Pedro Angel Rodriguez, Gary Indiana CPL John William Rouse, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania CPL William Wilbur, Lake Ariel, Pennsylvania C Company, 5th Special Forces Group SGT Michael Arnold Joseph, Sacramento, California (Silver Star) More details about the ambush noted in orders below for SGT Joseph's Silver Star . Michael A Joseph SGT Michael Arnold Joseph was survived by his parents, Elizabeth D Joseph (1918 - 2007) and Howard M Joseph (1914 - 1982) who were living in Sacramento at the time. The family is buried in East Lawn Memorial Park, Sacramento, California." - - The Virtual Wall
Had a short-lived "fight" (definitely lost by me) with Mike at Joaquin Miller and I should have forseen his being in Special Forces--what a brave fellow we knew...
Terri Weborg (Bartell)
Mike, Rest in Peace, from the Class of 62
Gary Dixon
Michael was killed while serving with US Army Special Forces in Vietnam 1968. He was awarded the "Silver Star" for actions of valor while in combat. Michael and other Special Forces troops were attempting to break a seige at a Special Forces Camp in 1 Corps. Rest in Peace, Brother. You are greatly missed.
Gary Dixon
Rich Derr
"Information from Marine Command Chronicles of Company B, 1st Tank Battalion, 1st Marine Division shows that during Operation MAMELUKE THRUST, on 30 May 1968, 1400 hours, 2 tanks were providing escort for a convoy which at grid AT 810545, along Route LTL-4, 9 Kilometers East of Thuong Duc when an NVA force sprung an ambush on the truck convoy transporting 155 mm artillery rounds on Route 4 half way between Hill 37 and their destination on Hill 55. Vehicles came under heavy small arms and RPG rocket fire. One tank sustained 5 RPG hits, causing moderate damage to the vehicle. One USMC was wounded in action and medevaced from result of gun shot wounds. Both tanks fires in return with unknown results. However, The security element assigned (Company C, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines and Company C, 5th Special Forces Group) to protect the vehicles with their cargo prevented the convoy from being overrun. Company C fought until a reaction force from Company I 3rd Battalion arrived forcing the enemy to withdraw from their attack. During the initial stages of the ambush, a counter-attack by SGT Joseph and his Army of Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) security forces, allowed the Marine security forces to establish a perimeter and prevent the NVA from overrunning the convoy. Three Marines died in the action and six were wounded. SGT Joseph was killed during his counter-attack. The four men who were killed were: C Company, 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment PFC Pedro Angel Rodriguez, Gary Indiana CPL John William Rouse, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania CPL William Wilbur, Lake Ariel, Pennsylvania C Company, 5th Special Forces Group SGT Michael Arnold Joseph, Sacramento, California (Silver Star) More details about the ambush noted in orders below for SGT Joseph's Silver Star . Michael A Joseph SGT Michael Arnold Joseph was survived by his parents, Elizabeth D Joseph (1918 - 2007) and Howard M Joseph (1914 - 1982) who were living in Sacramento at the time. The family is buried in East Lawn Memorial Park, Sacramento, California." - - The Virtual Wall
Rich Derr
Had a short-lived "fight" (definitely lost by me) with Mike at Joaquin Miller and I should have forseen his being in Special Forces--what a brave fellow we knew...
Rich Derr
R.I.P.
Warrior Who Gave It All...
You are remembered with high honor
Memorial Day
May 29 2023