Lance Corporal Joe Calvin Paul was a United States Marine killed in the Vietnam War who posthumously received the Medal of Honor for diverting an attack long enough to allow the evacuation of wounded Marines during Operation Starlite near Chu Lai, Vietnam, on August 18, 1965. The medal was awarded on February 7, 1967, during a ceremony in the Office of Secretary of the Navy Paul H. Nitze, who presented the award to his parents.
Joe C. Paul, posthumous Medal of Honor recipient
Operation Starlite was the first major offensive action conducted by a purely U.S. military unit during the Vietnam War from 18 to 24 August 1965. The operation was launched based on intelligence provided by Major general Nguyen Chanh Thi, the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) I Corps commander. III Marine Amphibious Force commander Lieutenant General Lewis W. Walt devised a plan to launch a pre-emptive strike against the Viet Cong (VC) 1st Regiment to nullify their threat to the vital Chu Lai Air Base and Base Area and ensure its powerful communication tower remained intact.
Vietcong prisoners (or civilians) await transport during Operation Starlite
Operation Starlite 18–19 August 1965
A MAG-16 helicopter evacuates casualties, while a Marine M48 Patton tank stands guard
