Pigeye in Miami County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Heroic GI Put His All Into Life

LaPointe

— By Dick Danis Daily News Staff Writer —

Heroic GI Put His All Into Life Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Doda, October 27, 2024

1. Heroic GI Put His All Into Life Marker

Inscription.

Heroic GI Put His All Into Life. LaPointe. Young Joe LaPointe perhaps inherited is zest for the outdoors from his great-grandfather, a Canadian hunter and trapper., "He expressed a desire to go to college and study forestry," Joe's father, Joseph G. LaPointe, recalled Saturday., The elder LaPointe remembered his outgoing son enjoying a schoolboy job at the Audubon center, working along the tranquil nature trails., The terrain was decidedly different one summer day on the other side of the world where schoolboys become men in a flash., It was June 2, 1969, exactly one month shy of his 21st birthday. And it was to be the last day in the life of Sec. 4 Joseph Guy Lapointe Jr., He died a hero, trying to save wounded comrades under hostile fire in Quang Tin province, Vietnam. It took the two bursts of enemy automatic weapons fire and a grenade to stop him., Joe's parents, who live on Westbrook Rd. north of Dayton, accepted the nation's highest military award in their son's behalf Thursday in Washington, D.C., Vice President Spiro T. Agnew handed them a posthumous citation for the Congressional Medal of Honor., The Medal of Honor citation notes that La Pointe was serving as a medical aid man during a helicopter assault mission. His patrol, advancing. through a valley, encountered heavy fire. from a well-fortified bunker. Two GIs in the vanguard were seriously wounded., LaPointe went to help them. He had to crawl directly in view of the enemy bunker. He got to the.. fallen soldiers and, shielding them with his own body, administered aid., He was struck by a burst of gunfire, but he continued comforting his comrades., His father, a tool design employ of National Cash Register Co., said he holds no bitterness over the war that cost him a son., The senior LaPointe flew 28 missions over Germany as a gunner in a B-24 in World War II., "I guess if I was to sum it up, I'd say we feel honored and proud to have had that type of son" he said, reflecting on his son's heroism. "Of course, that won't bring him back.

Young Joe LaPointe perhaps inherited is zest for the outdoors from his great-grandfather, a Canadian hunter and trapper.

"He expressed a desire to go to college and study forestry," Joe's father, Joseph G. LaPointe, recalled Saturday.

The elder LaPointe remembered his outgoing son enjoying a schoolboy job at the Audubon center, working along the tranquil nature trails.

The terrain was decidedly different one summer day on the other side of the world where schoolboys become men in a flash.

It was June 2, 1969, exactly one month shy of his 21st birthday. And it was to be the last day in the life of Sec. 4 Joseph Guy Lapointe Jr.

He died a hero, trying to save wounded comrades under hostile fire in Quang Tin province, Vietnam. It took the two bursts of enemy automatic weapons fire and a grenade to stop him.

Joe's parents, who live on Westbrook Rd. north of Dayton, accepted the nation's highest military award in their son's behalf Thursday in Washington, D.C.

Vice President Spiro T. Agnew handed them a posthumous citation for the Congressional Medal of Honor.

The Medal of Honor citation notes that La Pointe was serving

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as a medical aid man during a helicopter assault mission. His patrol, advancing. through a valley, encountered heavy fire. from a well-fortified bunker. Two GIs in the vanguard were seriously wounded.

LaPointe went to help them. He had to crawl directly in view of the enemy bunker. He got to the.. fallen soldiers and, shielding them with his own body, administered aid.

He was struck by a burst of gunfire, but he continued comforting his comrades.

His father, a tool design employ of National Cash Register Co., said he holds no bitterness over the war that cost him a son.

The senior LaPointe flew 28 missions over Germany as a gunner in a B-24 in World War II.

"I guess if I was to sum it up, I'd say we feel honored and proud to have had that type of son" he said, reflecting on his son's heroism. "Of course, that won't bring him back.

Topics and series. This memorial is listed in this topic list: War, World II. In addition, it is included in the Medal of Honor Recipients series list.

Location. 39° 55.34′ N, 84° 18.751′ W. Memorial is in Pigeye, Ohio, in Miami County. It is at the intersection

Medal Of Honor Jack LaPointe Walk Way Covered Bridge image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Doda, October 27, 2024

2. Medal Of Honor Jack LaPointe Walk Way Covered Bridge

The marker is inside the bridge, one on each end.

of South Miami Street (Route 48) and North Montgomery County Live Road, on the right when traveling south on South Miami Street. Touch for map. Memorial is at or near this postal address: 7874 OH-48, Englewood OH 45322, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this memorial is in Ohio’s Dayton Metro,

in the Miami Valley,

and in the Till Plains.

It is also in the American Midwest

and in the Corn Belt.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

and the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Elliot-Mote VFW Post 8211 Veterans Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Veterans Memorial Wall (within shouting distance of this marker); John Hoover (approx. 1.4 miles away); 1804 Quaker Meeting House (approx. 1.4 miles away); The Brick Wall (approx. 1.4 miles away); Union Veterans Memorial (approx. 1.6 miles away);

Photographed by Craig Doda, October 27, 2024

3. Heroic GI Put His All Into Life Marker

Englewood (approx. 2.2 miles away); Milton-Union Memorial Stadium Pavilion (approx. 2.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Pigeye.

Credits. This page was last revised on November 12, 2024. It was originally submitted on November 1, 2024, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. This page has been viewed 183 times since then and 26 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on November 1, 2024, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.