Marine Corps Career
De La Garza enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on February 4, 1969, in Chicago, Illinois. He received recruit training with the 2nd Recruit Training Battalion, Recruit Training Regiment at the MCRD San Diego, California.
Upon completion of recruit training, he was ordered to the Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton, California, where he joined the 2nd Infantry Training Regiment (ITR) and underwent individual combat training with the 1st and 2nd Battalions, and weapons training with the Basic Infantry Training Battalion.
Promoted to Private First Class on July 1, 1969, he arrived in the Republic of Vietnam on the July 25, 1969 for duty as a machinegun team ammo carrier with Company H, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division. On September 29, 1969, he was reassigned to the 1st Marine Division and served as a Marine Corps exchange man with Headquarters and Service Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, until the following December. He was promoted to Lance Corporal on February 1, 1970.
LCpl. De La Garza joined Company E, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division. On April 11, 1970, LCpl. De La Garza was serving as a machine gunner on a squad night patrol with Company E, 3rd platoon, approximately four miles south of Da Nang. The Marine rifle squad took hit and run fire in the morning and pursued the enemy. De La Garza spotted one of the VC hidden in a deep pond and went into the water with his knife taking the VC prisoner. As the VC was being brought to shore the VC pulled a hidden grenade. De La Garza yelled "Grenade" and was killed by the blast.
Read more about this topic: Emilio A. De La Garza
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