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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