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If you have any questions, additional biographical information, personal remembrances, or photographs you would like to contribute, please contact the 720th MP Battalion History Project Manager via this Email Link. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
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PFC Joseph Francis Lodise, Jr. Killed In Action ~ 1 May 1968 ~ Vietnam |
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There is no contact information for the next of kin . |
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On 1 May 1968 PFC Joseph F. Lodise, Jr., age 20, of Philadelphia, PA, who had only been in country 113 days, volunteered to replace another member of a V100 crew as the turret gunner on an unscheduled run of Highway 4. A Captain from Saigon was sent to the 148th MP Platoon to conduct an on site familiarization of the 148th mission in the Mekong Delta. The Platoon Leader, 1LT Nicholson scheduled both V100’s to conduct the familiarization run. It would be PFC Lodise’s first and last V100 highway patrol. It was a rainy day and as the two V100’s traveled north from Vinh Long towards Cai Lai the turret hatch was left open and rain water collected on the floor inside the V100 where the turret gunner stood. The familiarization patrol was uneventful until the two V100 came upon elements of the 9th Infantry Division engaged in a fire fight with local Viet Cong hidden in a tree line alongside the highway. The two 148th MP Platoon V100’s came up on line to add their firepower to the infantry elements already engaged. When PFC Lodise engaged the electronic trigger mechanism to activate his twin 30 cal machine guns he was electrocuted. PFC Lodise was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart Medal. In addition PFC Lodise also earned the National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with one Campaign Star, Vietnam Campaign Medal, and Vietnam Cross of Gallantry Ribbon with Palm (Unit Citation).
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