Joseph Thomas Gile (1946 - 1966)

Ancestors

Contents 1 Biography 1.1 Memorials 2 Sources 2.1 See Also 3 Acknowledgements

Biography

Joseph Thomas Gile jr. was born on the 30th September 30th 1946, in Lawrence, Massachusetts, in the United States of America. ^[1] Carrying on the family tradition, his father, Thomas Gile was also in the military, and his great-grandfather Frank Gile won a Medal of Honour.

He attended Lawrence High School Massachusetts.

Private First Class Joseph Thomas Gile service number 2208997 was a casualty of the Vietnam War

26th Marines

He was a U.S. Marine, serving in Quang Nam Province South Vietnam with a regiment newly activated on March 1st 1966; 3rd Marine Division 26th Marine Regiment 1st Battalion A Company, "The Professionals"

The Regiment was posted to Operation Prairie in the demilitarized zone of Vietnam, their role to search for and prevent the infiltration of enemy forces. From the 27th September 1966 to the 31st October, the Command Post of 1/26 was Vicinity Hill, Danang Taor.

A Company was commanded by Captain Velasquez. The Company was responsible for occupying and defending their assigned sector from constant harassment by enemy guerrillas who attacked in small, highly mobile squads of 10 - 20 men. 1/26 was responsible for keeping the main supply route secure and free of booby traps and mines. They took part in offensive operations as required and went out in support of pacification programs as directed. ^[2]

For the first two weeks they were in position, the Regiment concentrated on patrolling to become familiar with their sector. During one such patrol, on October 7th, 1966, Joseph Gile was caught in small arms fire and killed.

His body was recovered, he is buried in Holy Sepulcher Cemetery North Andover, Essex County, Massachusetts. ^[3]

He was 20 years old, and not married.

Memorials

Gile Square

Gile Square, at the intersection of South Union and Salem Streets in Laurence, Massachusetts is named in honor of Joseph Thomas Gile.

He is honored on Panel 11E, Line 56 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, U.S. national Vietnam War memorial near the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C.

And both school and service portraits can be seen where he is remembered by friends on the Vietnam Veterans Virtual Memorial Wall, The Wall of Faces sponsored by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund.

Sources

1. ↑ Joseph Thomas Gile, NARA NAID 306742, National Archives at College Park, Maryland : trans. record in Family Search
2. ↑ 1/26 Command Chronology Part ll : General Concept of Operations During Reporting Period
3. ↑ Find A Grave Memorial ID 104700490

• HonorStates.org Vietnam War service details Joseph Thomas Gile Jr. - 3rd Marine Division, 1st Battalion, 26th Marines, A Company
• DEATH "United States Casualties of the Vietnam War, 1956-1998," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KXZW-PDH : 12 December 2014), Joseph Thomas Gile, NARA NAID 306742, National Archives at College Park, Maryland.
• BURIAL "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVLR-FSMP : 13 December 2015), Joseph Thomas Gile, 1966; Burial, North Andover, Essex, Massachusetts, United States of America, Holy Sepulcher Cemetery; citing record ID 104700490, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.

See Also

• "For those that missed going to the Vietnam War I've posted a day by day account from my 'Unit', the 1st Battalion 26 Marines." A Vietnam Story
• 1st Battalion, 26th Marines Command Chronology 1201060195, US Marine Corps History Division Vietnam War Documents Collection, The Vietnam Center and Archive, Texas Tech University

Acknowledgements

This person was created through the import of Joy Ancestors.ged on 07 October 2010.