Namesake:
Private First Class Oscar P. Austin
Bath Iron Work's first FLIGHT IIA ARLEIGH BURKE Class
AEGIS Destroyer proudly bears the name of private First Class
Oscar P. Austin, United States Marine Corps. Displaying
indomitable courage and selfless devotion to duty, Pfc Austin
was killed in February 1969 when he sacrificed his own life to
save an injured companion. He has been recognized with numerous
medals and decorations, including the Purple Heart, the National
Defense Medal, and the Vietnam Service Medal with two bronze
stars, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, and the Medal of
Honor. Oscar Austin was born January 15, 1948, In Nacogdoches,
Texas and grew up in Phoenix, Arizona.
He graduated from Phoenix Union High School in 1967, and
enlisted in the United Stated Marine Corps in April the
following year. Upon completion of Basic Training, Austin was
promoted to Private First Class in October 1968. He was
transferred to the Republic of Vietnam where he served as an
assistant machine gunner with Company E, Second Battalion,
Seventh Marine, First Division (Rein), and FMF. During the early
morning hours on February 23, 1969, Pfc Austin's observation
post came under a fierce ground attack by a large North
Vietnamese Army force using a heavy volume of hand grenades,
satchel charges and small arms fire. Observing that one of his
wounded companions had fallen unconscious in a position
dangerously exposed to hostile fire, Austin unhesitatingly left
the relative security of his fighting hole and, with complete
disregard for his own safety, raced across the fireswept terrain
to drag the marine to safety. As he neared his companion, he
observed an enemy grenade land nearby. Leaping between the
grenade and the injured marine, Austin took the full force of
the explosion himself. Although he was badly injured, Austin
turned to help his fallen companion and saw a North Vietnamese
soldier aiming a weapon at the unconscious man. With full
knowledge of the probable consequences, Austin threw himself
between the injured marine and the hostile soldier. In doing so,
he was mortally wounded. It is fitting that the first Flight IIA
AEGIS Destroyer is named for Pfc Oscar Austin, a soldier whose
courage and gallantry in the face of certain death exemplified
the highest standards of the United States Marine Corps and the
United States Navy.
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