MY ADOPTED MIA
Gregory Rea Benton Jr.
Rank/Branch: E2/US Marine Corps
Unit: Company D, 1st Battalion, 9th Marines, 3rd Marine Division
Date of Birth: 19 November 1950
Home City of Record: Vallejo, CA
Date of Loss: 23 May 1969
Country of Loss: South Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 160700N 1072000E
Status (in 1973): Missing In Action
Category: 3
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: Ground
Other Personnel In Incident: (none missing)
SOURCE:
Compiled by Homecoming II Project 01 March 1991 from one or more of the following: raw data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews. Copyright 1991 Homecoming II Project.
SYNOPSIS:
Greg Benton is an American Indian and above all he wanted to do his part for his country. He has a pin in his leg as a result of a car accident while delivering newspapers as a boy. Because of the pin, Greg had to fight to get into the Marine Corps and had a difficult time in boot camp because of it. But he badly wanted to
become a Marine.
When PFC Benton went to Vietnam, he was assigned to Company D, 1st
Battalion, 9th Marines in Vietnam. Like other soldiers in Vietnam, Benton was
overwhelmed by the death of his comrades. In a letter home he wrote: "Death is
slowly catching up with me, and I cannot avoid it much longer. I dislike having
my life end in this hole, but there is little I can do to prevent it. Though my
body may be weak and soft my spirit is strong and bold."
On May 23, 1969, Benton was part of a security force evacuating casualties at
Quang Tri when his helicopter landing zone was overrun. A firefight ensued, and
when it was over, search efforts were conducted of the area. All personnel were
accounted for except for Benton. No trace was found. It was not known whether he
had been injured, captured, or killed. Benton was classified Missing In Action.
With U.S. involvement the war ended in 1975, thousands of refugees fled
Vietnam to escape the communist regime, bringing with them stories of Americans
still in their country. Since then, over 10,000 such reports have accumulated
in U.S. agency files. Many experts, after reviewing the information, believe
hundreds may still be alive today, still prisoners.
It is not known if Benton survived the attack on the landing zone on May 23, 1969
or if he is one of those said to be still alive. If he is still alive, he surely remembers
and has lived by the Marine Corps slogan, "Semper Fidelis". He knows the
importance his fellow Marines placed on recovering even the dead from the battlefield. If he is alive, he must wonder why his country has broken faith with him and why he has been abandoned. It's time we brought our men home.
If Gregory Rea Benton Jr. is alive, he needs to come home... If he has not survived, shouldn't we at least see to it that he is buried in the soil of the country he gave his life for?
If you'd like to see what some others are doing in addition to writing their congressmen, senators and the Whitehouse, check out some of these sites:
MIA/POW List
Another remarkable site is by an 11 year old angel who never even set foot on
American soil...She not only put up a page...she started a major project for an organization of Kids on the Net called KeyPals International.
Her MIA Page and don't miss her Bring Grandpa Home
If you come away from that site without a lump in your throat,
then you just weren't paying attention.
Don't forget our Women in Uniform.....
VietNam Women's Memorial
Send an E-MAIL to:
President Bill Clinton
Vice-President Al Gore
The First Lady, Mrs. Hilary Clinton
Please ask them to help find the men who were left behind.
A very special thank~you to Gunny....
If you would like to help and adopt a soldier, please click on the bracelet.
Do it now, to these soldiers every minute counts!!
My adopted MIA/POW, Gregory Rea Benton Jr. and I are very honored to have recieved the below Awards...We display them proudly!!
Thank~you *Gunny*
Thank~you *Lady Jen & the POW/MIA Ring*
Thank~you *John P. Lorf*
Thank~you *Larry J. Brugh and Liberty & Justice for All*
Thank~you *LadyJen*
Please come and see my visit at the Moving Wall
Please take a few moments and visit
AnaMaree's Missing Hero
Sharon's Don't Forget
MIA/POW Pages
Military Links Page
In writing my page Remembering... My Sis Barb (HeresBarbi) wrote what she remembered and I was so proud to add it...but being the wonderful person that she is she kept thinking and wrote the below to me. I thought that it would be perfect here....
All of them that express their needs thru whatever measures should be heard....and not with a deaf ear. They need to be seen.....and not with a blind eye or heart. People need to know what their expressions mean......they need to know what the Run for the Wall means...to become aware of what the "cause" means and why so many thousands are even still so dedicated.
Thank God my POW came home, wounded in many ways, but because he was safe and sound, I decided then and there that I would adopt all that would remain POWs and MIAs. All those that came back to us will always have my love and my respect. My bracelet lies with it's very worn yellow ribbon, a flag pin and an angel in a special little box displayed for all to see, remember and ask about. None are Forgotten and they never will be.
A heartfelt thank~you for visiting my MIA page.
I would love to hear from you....
You are number......
to visit my adopted MIA/POW....Thank~you once again!!
Many Thank~you's to Doc..Ron Fleischer..Gunny..Hollie..Joni..and any others that I have failed to mention, for the use of their wonderful graphics.....
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