Photo By Staff Sgt. Ramon Garcia | Friends and family members of Cpl. Charles McMahon Jr. and Lance Cpl. Darwin L. Judge...... read more read more
MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Virginia. – On July 28, The Marine Corps Embassy Security Group (MCESG) named and dedicated its Marine Security Guard Security Augmentation Unit (MSAU) building in honor of the last two U.S. service members killed in ground combat during the Vietnam War. On April 29, 1975, Marine Security Guards (MSG), Corporal Charles McMahon, Jr. and Lance Corporal Darwin Lee Judge from the MSG Detachment Saigon were killed while defending the U.S. Defense Attaché Office (DAO) at the Ton Son Nhut Airbase. Family members of both Marines were present for the ceremony along with many Vietnam Veterans and Departments of Defense and State officials.
McMahon was born May 10, 1953, in Woburn, Massachusetts where he attended Woburn High School and excelled at swimming and served as a lifeguard at the Woburn Boys Club. His close friend from Woburn, Mr. George Holland spoke at the ceremony and shared, “Charlie would always talk about how he wanted to join the Marines. You figure junior high, you’ll have a lot of different opportunities, but Charlie stuck with it. That is what he wanted to do, and soon after he joined the Marines.”
McMahon graduated from Recruit Training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD) Parris Island. He then completed training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, and became a Military Policeman.
Holland mentioned how McMahon wanted to be an MSG, the cream of the crop. How the MSG Marines are so squared away, and McMahon wanted to be part of the legacy. McMahon applied for the MSG program, went to the MSG school, and after graduating on September 1974, became an MSG. McMahon’s first post was in Washington, DC, with the Consular Corps
Judge was born on Feb. 16, 1956, in Marshalltown, Iowa. While in high school, he helped the individuals in his community throughout his days, became an Eagle Scout, and was a woodworker.
Lori Desaulniers, Judge’s sister was also a speaker at the ceremony. She conveyed how much her brother loved scouting, starting out as a Cub Scout, and reaching to scouting’s highest level of Eagle Scout. She said that each winter growing up, Judge would shovel snow for money but when the elderly people would tell him they didn’t have money, he would tell them that it was his Boy Scout good deed for the day. As an Eagle Scout, Judge was inducted into the Scout Honor Society of Boys Scouts of America Order of the Arrow.
Judge joined the Marine Corps and attended Recruit Training at MCRD San Diego in 1974. After basic training, he completed training at the School of Infantry Camp Pendleton and was designated an Infantry Mortar Man.
Desaulniers said “During high school, he wanted to join the military. He wanted something tough, so he was debating on the Army Rangers or the Marines. In his short time as a Marine, he was glad to be one of, The Few. The Proud. The Marines.”
Ken Crouse, a former MSG of Detachment Saigon in 1975, who trained with Judge at the MSG School in Class 4-75, also spoke at the ceremony. Crouse said, “their combined time in country was only 46 days; two young Marines serving their country, still being integrated into the detachment, and then killed.”
Brigadier General Jason Morris, Director of Operations, Headquarters Marine Corps, was the last guest speaker for the ceremony. He spoke to the hearts of the family and asked, “Where do we find such heroes? In this case Massachusetts and Iowa. These two young men did what they had been trained to do. Standfast to defend the American diplomatic mission as a team and secure the perimeter against the onslaught of an entire army heading their way. These Marines did their duty and, in the process, selflessly gave their lives so that others may have the chance to grow old.”
After the ceremony, the families accompanied by the MCESG Commanding Officer, Colonel Kelly Frushour; the Director of the Defense Attaché Service, Mr. Michael Bochna; and the former Ambassador to Vietnam, Ambassador Ted Osius, entered the newly named McMahon-Judge Annex to view the memorial and portraits of their Marines. Mr. Brochna presented a wreath on behalf of DAOs stationed at embassies around the world and Ambassador Osius thanked them on behalf of the Department of State.
McMahon and Judge were killed during Operation FREQUENT WIND while defending the DAO whose members were coordinating the massive air evacuation from South Vietnam as Saigon fell into the hands of the North Vietnamese Army (NVA). The MSGs were adjacent to Battalion Landing Team 2/4 who was also in support of the operation.
McMahon and Judge had been assigned to a two-man outpost situated at the northwest corner of the compound. They maintained this position under constant threat from harassing fire and infiltrators, as NVA divisions advanced. Their actions allowed the DAO to concentrate on coordinating the evacuation that successfully involved U.S. aircraft flying thousands of people to the safety of U.S. vessels offshore. During the pre-dawn hours of 29 April, the NVA launched an artillery attack during which McMahon and Judge’s position took a direct hit, killing the two MSGs instantly.
The following day, after Operation FREQUENT WIND was completed, the U.S. presence departed. It was realized that McMahon and Judge had been mistakenly left behind at a local hospital. Diplomatic negotiations ensued and in 1976, McMahon and Judge came home. In their small hometowns in Massachusetts and Iowa, these two Marines are honored by grateful families, friends, and fellow townspeople. Naming the MSAU building in honor of McMahon-Judge ensures their bravery and dedication to duty are also honored by today’s Marines. This represents a fitting and lasting tribute that shares their legacy with future generations of Marines who will follow in their footsteps as MSGs.
| Date Taken: | 07.28.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 08.16.2023 16:24 |
| Story ID: | 451487 |
| Location: | QUANTICO, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 183 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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