Native Sons Lost: Milledgeville's Vietnam War Dead

Marion Edward Johnson was born on May 24, 1945 in Baldwin County, Georgia. Marion was known as a fun loving, but quiet kid and would spend his early childhood living by the railroad tracks on North Columbia Street. Marion’s mother, Carrie Easley Johnson, was an entrepreneur, owning and operating the Milledgeville juke joints Shady Rest and Music In The Trees during the 1950s. In 1959, Marion’s mother moved to Monguap Valley, New York, a small hamlet in the Catskill region of the state. Marion and his brothers would travel between New York in the summer and attend school in Milledgeville, spending their time with their father. Growing up in this manner and experiencing the differences between life in the North and the segregated Jim Crow South was eye opening. In early 1966, Marion received his draft notification while living in New York and working at a race track. Marion reported for a physical examination on April 7, 1966, and was immediately inducted into the Army. He was sent to Fort Gordon, Georgia, to attend basic training. He was not notified that this would happen, and his family was unaware they would not see Marion for months when he left that day.  Once Marion completed basic training, he attended advanced infantry training (AIT), and then he was allowed a month-long leave. Unknowingly, this was the last opportunity for Marion’s family to spend time with him. He was sent immediately to Vietnam when he returned from his leave in September 1966.

In early October 1966, Marion Johnson was transported to Vietnam. He mailed a postcard to his mother during a short layover in the Philippines to let the family know that he was okay and that he would write soon. Later that day, Marion landed in South Vietnam and was assigned to 3rd Platoon, Company C, 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile). Marion would write his mother shortly after arriving at the 1st Cavalry Division base at An Khe on October 7, 1966 stating that all of the boys he had trained with were in the same company with him and that once they completed three days of in-country orientation, they would start conducting field operations. 

“This is a nasty place over here. It reminds me of Georgia but it’s a lot nastier than Georgia ever was.” - Marion Johnson, letter to mother, October 7, 1966.

Marion was close to his family, always looking for news about his brothers and sisters, checking on his girlfriend, Vergia, and sending money home when he could. He also tried to reassure his mother about his safety, writing in October 1966, “We leave here October 5, 1967. I know that this is going to be a long hard year, but I know that I will make it because I have a lots (sic) of faith in myself.” In a letter dated November 5, 1966, Marion opened up more to his sister, writing, “I have been in one little battle since I have been here and I was scared then. I don’t know if I killed a Viet Cong or not because it was dark when they came at us.

On November 16, 1966, Marion’s unit was alerted that they would be returning to the Ia Drang Valley, which was the site of the first major engagement between U.S. forces and the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) in 1965. That battle saw the 1st Cavalry Division defeat the NVA. However, the battle cost 237 American lives.

On November 19, Marion’s unit, Charlie Company, was lured to a section of the Ia Drang by NVA units, who allowed themselves to be spotted by air. Signs of the enemy in the area were prevalent, and on the morning of November 21, 2nd Platoon engaged an NVA unit and became pinned down with small arms fire from multiple sides. Marion’s 3rd Platoon was ordered to assist 2nd Platoon and advance to their position. They became surrounded by a larger NVA force. The NVA were able to approach undetected in the tall grass and get within hand grenade range. 

“Right now they are doing some heavy fighting up by the Cambodian border. We just left before it started, and I hope that we don’t have to go back up there.” - Marion Johnson, letter to mother, November 15, 1966.

Marion’s platoon called in artillery support as close as they could to their position. The operator on the other end attempted to maintain contact with 3rd Platoon until there was no longer a response. At that point, he could hear gunshots and Vietnamese on the other end. The ambush of Marion’s platoon lasted between 15 and 20 minutes, ending with the unit being overrun. Only two of the 22 men in the platoon survived. Marion was not one of them. The NVA moved through the position killing the wounded and stripping them of their weapons.

After the battle, Marion and his fallen comrades were hoisted off the battle field by a Chinook helicopter to begin their long journey home. Marion’s younger brother, Tommie, joined the Army in 1967. However, it was the Army’s policy to exempt sole surviving sons from combat or from military service all together. Tommie was instructed by his congressman to inform his commander after his AIT training period that he had lost a brother in Vietnam to ensure he would not be sent to that country. 

Private First Class Marion Edward Johnson is interned in Bone Cemetery, 941 N Clarke St, Milledgeville, Georgia, Row D, lot 20 grave 1. His location on the Vietnam Memorial is Panel 12E, Line 101.

Student research on Marion Edward Johnson, conducted by Kate Goggin and Nina Hardin, is available in the Georgia College  Knowledge Box