Joseph Kwasny: Ambushed on the Beach

By Al Rodriguez, Honor Flight Chicago Veteran Interview Volunteer

When I contacted Joe about his upcoming Honor Flight, he said he was honored to be selected to be interviewed. He is a Purple Heart recipient, had a career in law enforcement and continues to help veterans today.

Joe was born and raised in East Chicago, Indiana. He was the youngest of six children in a Polish household and neighborhood. His father and two of his uncles were WWII Army veterans. Sadly, his father died when he was in the third grade. Joe’s mother raised the six children having to work two jobs, but Joe said she managed. He went to Saint Stanislaus for grade school and East Chicago Roosevelt High School. He loved sports, so in high school he played baseball and ran cross country. At the same time, he played basketball with the Catholic Youth Organization. When he graduated high school, he and his good friend Dave Polich joined the Marines.

Joe and David got to Basic Training in August, 1965. They were together for Boot Camp and advanced infantry training. They were sent to Camp Pendleton for jungle training. This training was to prepare them for combat in Vietnam and Joe said it was very realistic. After completing this training, they both got orders for Vietnam.

They boarded a ship that would take them to Vietnam. On their way, they had one day to visit Hawaii and then Okinawa. Joe and Dave mused about how different their lives were; six months before they were girl-watching in East Chicago. When they got to Da Nang, Vietnam they were separated. Joe stayed in Da Nang where the 3rd Battalion, 9th Marines was stationed and David continued on to Qui Nhon and was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines.

Joe arrived in Da Nang at sunrise with the green countryside and mountains and thought ‘Vietnam is beautiful’ until he noticed the flares and explosions in the distance. He was assigned to Lima Company as a replacement in the 2nd Platoon. Two days after arriving he was sent to an outpost with an experienced Marine for perimeter night guard duty. He said it was scary duty but he was mainly concerned about screwing up and causing harm to the other Marines. His platoon was assigned missions every other day. They got into a few minor fire fights. Joe was called back to the Battalion area by his first sergeant because they were looking for someone who had admin skills and he could type.

On March 21st  he was sent on a routine mission to take supplies to the company area. Since he had just left the 2nd Platoon, he didn’t know any of the other 6 Marines on this mission. He rode shotgun on the first of two M76 Amphibious Cargo Carriers, nicknamed the Otter. They took the normal route next to the ocean on China Beach. During the first part of the trip nothing unusual happened. There were Vietnamese enjoying the beach, waving at them as they went by. Joe and the crew unloaded the Company’s supplies and returned back along the same beach route. The driver of the first Otter stopped because he noticed that the beach was now empty. He decided to continue and when he started moving, they were ambushed from the dune above them.

The Viet Cong targeted the drivers of both Otters. Joe’s driver was shot and the Otter jerked towards the ocean. Joe was thrown off onto the beach between the dune and the Otter. He fired his M-14 towards the dune and was peppered with sand and shrapnel from the grenades that were being thrown at him. The other Marines were yelling for him to get back to the Otter. When he ran towards it, he was shot in his right arm. He made it to the Otter and from that position he was partly submerged in the ocean. He returned fire with his left arm and got shot twice in that arm. He said he was also shot once in each leg. 

Sergeant Wayman was in the second Otter. He had an automatic shotgun and returned fire when the other Marines were unable to continue. Sergeant Wayman lost an eye and a finger but he kept the enemy at bay. Joe credits the sergeant with saving his life and two others. 3/9 Mike Company saw the ambush and made their way behind the enemy and ended the fire fight. Out of the six Marines in the ambushed Otters, three were killed and three were wounded. A Huey helicopter evacuated them to the Da Nang Hospital, the wounded lying on top of the dead.

The doctor who treated Joe’s wounds said that his laying in salt water slowed the bleeding and saved his life. On the Medevac plane taking him to the Philippines for surgery, General Krulac presented him with a Purple Heart. At the hospital, he started talking to the patient in the cubicle next to him and it turned out to be Sergeant Wayman who came from Seymour, Indiana. (Years later he learned that Sergeant Wayman had succumbed to PTSD and was deceased.)  

After surgery and recuperation, Joe was sent stateside to Great Lakes Naval Base where he had further surgery and physical therapy. While Joe was still healing, his buddy David’s mom called to tell him that David had been killed in action. Joe was granted permission to attend the funeral. He had to borrow a uniform because his gear never made it back to the Great Lakes Base.

Joe was discharged in November of 1966 and returned home to East Chicago. He attended a Vocational Rehabilitation Program for disabled veterans. Physically, he continued to improve. He enrolled in a Health, Physical Education and Recreational program at Indiana State University and received a bachelor’s degree. He returned home and worked as a Veteran’s Assistant finding employment for disabled veterans. His boss took him to the Unemployment Office and introduced him to Kathy, an Employment Security Agent who would help the vets find work. They married in 1975. They’ve been married for 47 years. Joe and Kathy have two daughters and five granddaughters.

In 1976, Joe was hired by the Highland Police Department. He worked his way up until he was promoted to the Chief of Police. He retired in 2000.

Retirement is a relative term for him. From 2000 until 2005, he worked as a Lake County Bailiff in the Hammond Indiana Courthouse. As a lifelong Cubs fan, he was employed as security at Wrigley Field. He also joined the Swinging Seniors that danced at intermissions at the Chicago Bulls games.

Although technically retired, Joe later was approached by a local Lake County Judge who asked him to work as a Lake County Indiana Court Bailiff. While working there, he saw an article that another state had a Veterans Treatment Court which helps vets with minor offenses. After completing an 18 month counseling and treatment program, they would get their charges dismissed. Joe asked Judge Cantrell if they couldn’t get this same program established in Indiana. In 2014, the State of Indiana approved it for Lake County and now it’s available statewide. Thanks to Joe’s enthusiasm and Judge Cantrell, vets that have made a mistake get a second chance in the legal system.

Joe has retired from his Lake County Bailiff job but is still involved with the Veterans Treatment Court program. Not only is he a mentor but is also a mentor coordinator, finding other vets to be mentors. He also is a member of the North Township Veterans Roundtable that helps local veterans with hunger, homelessness and other issues.

Joe was almost killed on a beach in Vietnam. He survived and spent his life serving and protecting as a police officer and helping vets.  He’s lived a full life for those who couldn’t. Although Joe has visited Washington D.C. in the past he is looking forward to seeing the Memorials, especially the Vietnam Wall.

Thank you Joe for your courageous service to your country.  Enjoy your well-deserved day of honor on the 101st flight of Honor Flight Chicago.