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Medal of Honor recipient Marine LCpl Thomas E. Creek
Congressional Medal of Honor
Episode 2826 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature Marine LCpl Thomas E. Creek and his Congressional Medal of Honor award. Information featured in this episode appeared on the Military Hall of Honor and U.S. Army websites.
Thomas Elbert Creek (April 7, 1950 – February 13, 1969) was a United States Marine who posthumously received the Medal of Honor for heroism during February 1969 in Vietnam.
Thomas Creek was born on April 7, 1950, in Joplin, Missouri. He grew up in Amarillo, Texas, where he attended Forest Hill Elementary School, Horace Mann Jr. High School, and Palo Duro High School.
Creek enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on January 16, 1968. He completed recruit training with the 1st Recruit Training Battalion, Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, California, in March 1968. Creek received individual combat training with Company A, 1st Battalion, 2d Infantry Training Regiment, at Camp Pendleton, California, in April, and basic infantry training with Rifle Training Company, Basic Infantry Training Battalion, 2nd Infantry Training Regiment at Camp Pendleton, in May 1968. He was promoted to private first class on June 1, 1968.
In July 1968, Creek was deployed to the Republic of Vietnam. He first saw duty as a rifleman with Company E, 2nd Battalion, 27th Marines, 1st Marine Division. In September 1968, Creek was assigned duty as fire team leader with Company I, 3rd Battalion 9th Marines, 3rd Marine Division and was promoted to lance corporal on November 1, 1968.
While serving as fire team leader, Creek was killed in action on February 13, 1969, near the Cam Lo resettlement village. His squad was escorting a convoy of trucks bringing supplies to Vandegrift Combat Base when it was ambushed. While under enemy mortar fire, Creek moved to a position to attack the hidden enemy, engaging in a fire fight. While moving to a better position, he was shot in the neck and fell into a gully near fellow Marines who had taken cover; a grenade landed between Creek and the other Marines. Creek rolled on top of the grenade and took the full force of the blast, saving the lives of those around him. His men continued the fight, defeated the enemy force and the convoy was able to continue.
Creek was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor — which was presented to his family by Vice President Spiro Agnew on April 20, 1970, at the White House.
Listen to episode 2826 and discover more about Marine LCpl Thomas E. Creek and his Congressional Medal of Honor award.
