Corporal Stephen Kenneth Jennings USMC

  2. Aggies to Recall
  3. Vietnam War
  4. Corporal Stephen Kenneth Jennings USMC

Stephen was born in South Weymouth, MA on August 1, 1944 to Mr. and Mrs. CC Jennings. His family moved Albuquerque, NM where Stephen graduated from Pius X High School in 1962. He enrolled at NMSU in the fall of 1962, departing after one semester. Stephen enlisted in the Marine Reserves on 3 February 1964 in Albuquerque and served for 3 years. After his 3 year enlistment was done, Stephen and his best friend enlisted in the Marines for active service on 2 February 1967. Arriving in Vietnam 10 May 1967, Stephen was assigned to 3rd Platoon, Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division. At the time of his arrival the battalion was afloat off shore having just completed an operation. On 20 May the Battalion airlifted in to begin Operation Belt Tight / Hickory, a search and destroy mission immediately south of the DMZ. There was knowledge that the North Vietnamese Army was moving south thru the DMZ and entering South Vietnam in this region but no sense of the numbers or capabilities that truly existed in the field. 

Corporal Stephen Kenneth Jennings USMC
On 23 May 1967 his company was approaching the village of Xuan Hai, 4 kilometers north of Con Thien, when it came under heavy fire.  North Vietnamese regulars had fortified the village with trenches, fighting positions and large caches of supplies and ammunition. During the following intense gunfight Corporal Stephen Kenneth Jennings died as a result of a gunshot wound penetrating the right side of the chest. He had been in Vietnam for 14 days. His body was recovered and buried in Winter Garden FL Stephen was 22 years of age when he gave his life in service to his country.