A Marine's Story: Private First Class Eugene Arnold Obregon

Private First Class Eugene Arnold Obregon was born on November 12, 1930, in Los Angeles, California. He graduated from Theodore Roosevelt High School in June of 1948 and then enlisted in the US Marine Corps that December. 

Private First Class Eugene Obregon trained as a fireman and spent his first couple of years at the Supply Depot in Barstow, California. When the Korean War began, he was reassigned as an ammo bearer, transferred to the 1st Marine Provisional Division, and deployed to Pusan, Korea.

On September 26, 1950, he would earn the Congressional Medal of Honor during the assault on Seoul after he ran into a firefight, armed only with a pistol, to rescue another fallen marine. Private First Class Obregon shielded the other marine, returning enemy fire with both his pistol and the other soldier's carbine, and kept the enemy pinned down during the evacuation of the wounded.

Private First Class Eugene Obregon was mortally wounded during the fight and died shortly after the evacuation. He rests at the Calvary Cemetery in Los Angeles, California. 

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a.d. elliott is a wanderer, writer, and photographer currently living in Salem, Virginia. 

In addition to the travel writings at www.takethebackroads.com, you can also read her book reviews at www.riteoffancy.com and US military biographies at www.everydaypatriot.com

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