San fernando cathedral history

William Thomas Perkins Jr.
William T. Perkins Jr., posthumous Medal of Honor recipient
Born	()August 10, Rochester, New York
Died	October 12, () (aged&#;20) Hải Lăng District, Quang Tri Province, South Vietnam
Place of burial	San Fernando Mission Cemetery, San Fernando, California
Allegiance	United States of America
Service / branch	&#;United States Marine Corps
Years&#;of service	&#;
Rank	Corporal
Unit	Company C, 1st Battalion 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division
Battles / wars	Vietnam War
Awards	Medal of Honor Purple Heart

William Thomas Perkins Jr. (August 10, &#; October 12, ) was a United States Marine who posthumously received the United States' highest military decoration for valor &#; the Medal of Honor &#; for his heroic action on October 12, , during the Vietnam War in which he smothered an exploding grenade with his body to save the lives of three fellow Marines.

Perkins is the only combat photographer to have received the Medal of Honor.

Biography

William T. Perkins Jr. was born in Rochester, New York. In elementary school he moved with his family to California and graduated from James Monroe High School, Sepulveda, California, in ^[1]

Perkins enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve on April 27, , and was discharged to enlist in the Regular Marine Corps on July 6, ^[1]

Upon completion of recruit training with the 2nd Recruit Training Battalion, Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, he was promoted to private first class on September 22, Transferred to the Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton, he underwent individual combat training with the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Training Regiment.^[1]

From October to January , he served as a photographer with Headquarters Battalion, Marine Corps Supply Center, Barstow, California.

San fernando mission biography of william shakespeare The mission was founded on 8 September at the site of Achooykomenga , and was the seventeenth of the twenty-one Spanish missions established in Alta California. The mission was secularized in and returned to the Catholic Church in ; it became a working church in Today the mission grounds function as a museum; the church is a chapel of ease of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. On August 7 they camped at a watering place near where the mission would later be established. After brief negotiations with the Alcalde , the land was acquired Mission records list Reyes as godfather to the first infant baptized at San Fernando.

He was promoted to Lance Corporal on January 1, For the next four months, LCpl Perkins was a student at the Motion Picture Photography, U.S. Army Signal Center and School, Fort Monmouth, New Jersey. In May , he was transferred back to Headquarters Battalion, Barstow.^[1]

In July , LCpl Perkins served as a photographer with Service Company, Headquarters Battalion, 3rd Marine Division and was transferred to the Republic of Vietnam.

He was promoted to Corporal on August 1, While serving as a combat photographer with Company C, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division during Operation Medina, he was killed in action on October 12, ^[1]

William T. Perkins Jr. is buried in San Fernando Mission Cemetery in San Fernando, California.^[2]

Awards and decorations

Cpl Perkins' was awarded the following medals:

Medal of Honor citation

The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR posthumously to

Corporal William T.

Perkins Jr.
United States Marine Corps

for service as set forth in the following citation:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a combat photographer attached to Company C, First Battalion, First Marines, First Marine Division, in the Republic of Vietnam on 12 October During Operation MEDINA, a major reconnaissance in force, southwest of Quang Tri, Company C made heavy combat contact with a numerically superior North Vietnamese Army Force estimated at from two to three companies.

The focal point of the intense fighting was a helicopter landing zone which was also serving as the Command Post of Company C. In the course of a strong hostile attack, an enemy grenade landed in the immediate area occupied by Corporal Perkins and three other Marines. Realizing the inherent danger, he shouted the warning, "Incoming Grenade" to his fellow Marines, and in a valiant act of heroism, hurled himself upon the grenade absorbing the impact of the explosion with his own body thereby saving the lives of his comrades at the cost of his own.

Biography of william shakespeare William Bendix January 14, — December 14, was an American film, radio, and television actor, known for his portrayals of rough, blue-collar characters. He gained significant recognition for his role in Wake Island , for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Bendix is also remembered for playing Chester A. Riley, the earnest and clumsy aircraft plant worker, in both the radio and television versions of The Life of Riley. Bendix frequently co-starred with Alan Ladd , appearing in ten films together; both actors died in

Through his exceptional courage and inspiring valor in the face of certain death, Corporal Perkins reflected great credit upon himself and the Marine Corps and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.^[3]

/S/ RICHARD M.

NIXON

In memory

The name of William T. Perkins Jr. is inscribed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial ("The Wall") on Panel 27E Row ^[4]

His name is also on a bollard in the Walk of Honor at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial of Greater Rochester, NY. ^[5]

The 2D Marine Division Communications Strategy and Operations building in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina is named the “William T.

Perkins Memorial Photography Laboratory” in his honor. His Medal of Honor resides in the front office display case.

See also

References

Inline

General

&#;This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps.