Page 15 - Senior Link Magazine Fall 2020- Online Magazine

Steve Oien A Marine's Story
1. Describe your childhood:
BOOM! I am a baby-boomer,
born in December 1947. My
parents met while Dad was in
Army Air Corps (WWII) pilot
training in Alamogordo, New
Mexico. They married in 1944
after he returned from flying
B-24s from his base in Italy. He
stayed in the Air Force until he
retired in 1966.
Growing up in a military family
meant you moved frequently,
from one duty station to another.
We were able to live in Guam;
Morocco; Labrador, Canada;
Idaho and Illinois, where I
graduated from high school.
2. Service in Vietnam:
When I received my draft notice
in 1966, I enlisted in the Marines.
It was a good decision for me as
I enjoyed serving my country:
MARINE CORPS
in his own words as told to
Katherine McLamore
“Once a Marine, Always a
Marine.”
After Boot Camp in San
Diego, I went to Camp
Pendleton for infantry
training. Upon completion, I
went home for 30 days leave.
I don’t remember the actual
date I got on the plane at
El Torro Marine Corps Air
Base, but I do remember,
there were Gideons handing
out small Bibles as we
boarded. We flew to Hawaii,
then Okinawa before
departing for Vietnam,
DaNang Air Base.
We landed at night, received
our orders and went to
sleep. The next day, I went
to Dong Ha where the 2nd
Battalion Fourth Marines was
headquartered. I was assigned
to Fox Company and flew on a
helicopter to join my Company
in the DMZ. For the next six
months, I participated in many
combat operations in the DMZ.
Our battalion was assigned
“Float Duty” in January 1968.
We were loaded onto Navy ships
off the coast and were a reserve
unit assigned to help any unit
in need of assistance. While on
float, we went to the Philippines
for training. On the way to the
Philippines, the USS Pueblo was
captured by the North Koreans,
so our small fleet headed to
Korea but headed back two days
later, when our orders changed.
We arrived back in Vietnam
February 1, 1968 and went to
Camp Carroll on Highway 9.
VIETNAM
LUBBOCK
We were assigned to the artillery
base to protect it from being
attacked. Down the road was a
bridge over a large creek, and
it was Fox Company’s job to
protect it. We were several miles
from Khe Sanh, which was one of
the major battle areas during the
Tet Offensive a few days later.
My platoon went down the road
to set up an ambush. We took a
tank with us, so we weren’t very
quiet. We became engaged in a
fire fight with the NVA. Around
10:30 p.m. on February 4, I was
shot.
I was air evacuated to a MASH
unit and then flown to Da Nang
for additional surgery. From
there, I went to Army Tripler
Hospital, Hawaii, for 30 days,
where I received my Purple
Heart medal and then to the
hospital at Naval Air Station,
Millington, Tennessee. My total
recovery took eight months, and
I was honorably discharged on
November 30, 1968 at the rank of
Corporal (E4). I went home to my
family in California and back to
college.
3. Life After the Marine Corps
My older brother had started a
business in Midland, Texas and
needed some help, so I moved to
Midland in 1972. I met Debbie,
one of the best days ever, and we
were married on April 6, 1974.
Business was good; however, I
sold my interest and we moved
to California where I worked for
the Air Force at Travis Air Force
Base.
continued on next page...
Senior Link 15