Remember...
Leonard Joe Zelaski Jr.
1948-1968
"War is death. If we are to engage in war, then we should have to stare it straight in the face and call it by its rightful name."
Aaron Huey
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Remember...Leonard Joe Zelaski Jr.
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Leonard Joe Zelaski Jr. was born on July 18, 1948, in Moundsville, Marshall County, West Virginia. His parents were Betty Leola Liston Zelaski (1927-1994) and Leonard Joe Zelaski Sr. (1917-1977), and he was the only child. Growing up, he was known as "Joe" to his family and friends. A Find A Grave posting indicates that Joe's father served in World War II for three years from 1942-1945. Joe (Jr.) attended Moundsville High School and played for the Moundsville High School football team. Joe joined the Marines while still in high school. Consequently, he did not graduate from high school, but he did receive his high school equivalency diploma.
Located on the banks of the Ohio River and the mouth of Grave Creek, Moundsville was incorporated in 1830 and declared the county seat of Marshall County in 1835. Early industries included iron works, factories, tanneries, mills, and coal mining. In the 20th century, Fostoria Glass Company produced art glass dinnerware, and U.S. Stamping made enamelware in Moundsville. At the beginning of the 21st century, the city had a population of about 10,000. (Linda S. Comins, "Moundsville," e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia, 31 May 2013, accessed 27 January 2023, https://www.wvencyclopedia.org/articles/1426.)
When Leonard was age one, NATO was established. NATO stands for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and is an alliance between 29 American and European countries. The United States military forces played a leading role against North Korean and Chinese troops in the Korean War (1950-1953). The Korean War was a civil war between North and South Korea.
| His father already having served in the military, Zelaski's family backed him all the way when he wanted to join the Marines. Joe's local community was supportive of his joining the Marines as well. According to Teri Voorheis, a classmate of Joe, "he was kind of quiet" and "he was in my history class and then he wasn't." (D. K. Wright, "An Old Road Has a New Name, Honoring a Fallen Veteran," WTRF website, 27 May 2022, updated 28 May 2022, accessed 26 January 2023, https://www.wtrf.com/west-virginia/an-old-road-has-a-new-name-honoring-a-fallen-veteran/.) |  |
The Vietnam War was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. The war was fought between North and South Vietnam. North Vietnam was supported and backed by the Soviet Union and China. South Vietnam was backed and supported by the United States. This war was considered to be a Cold War era proxy war. The war lasted exactly 19 years, 5 months, 4 weeks, and 1 day. The reason the United States joined the fight was to prevent the Communist takeover of that region; however, the war concluded without a decisive victory for South Vietnam and with the evacuation of U.S. troops.
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Joe enlisted into the U.S. Marines Corps on December 1, 1966. His rank was lance corporal (LCPL), and his military occupational specialty (MOS) was 0341: mortarman. After his initial training, he was sent to Vietnam on May 13, 1967. He was assigned to K Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division, III Marine Amphibious Forces (MAF). His unit took part in Operation Napoleon/Saline, which was a battalion operation conducted by the United States Marine Corps and the Army. The operation ran from 20 January to 9 December 1968 along the Cua Viet River south of the demilitarized zone (DMZ) in Quang Trị Province. The goal of this operation was to defend the Marine Corps combat bases. |
On March 1, 1968, 3rd Battalion/1st Marines (3/1) were conducting combat operations to open up Cua Viet lines of communications (LOC). The operation commenced when elements of 3/1 crossed the river and were hit hard by snipers, rocket propelled grenades (RPGs), .30 cal machine gun and 60 mm mortars. Elements of 3/1 pulled back and set in a defensive position and received sporadic small arms fire and artillery fire. Meanwhile, at around 1700 hrs, K Co 3/1 were clearing the west side of a creek and encountered strong enemy resistance from the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) in well-concealed fighting bunkers. (Information summarized from a Coffelt Database Situation Report, accessed 27 January 2023, http://www.coffeltdatabase.org/detreq2.php.)
On March 2, 1968, 3/1 continued their mission to open Cua Viet LOC by maintaining a strong defensive position and deploying ambushes, combat patrols, and operations in their area of operation. Elements of 3/1 recovered the remains of five Marines that were previously listed as missing in action (MIA). More than likely, Lance Corporal Zelaski was one of these Marines as he had suffered a gunshot wound to the head probably the day before while conducting combat operations when his unit crossed the Song Thach Han River. (Information summarized from a Coffelt Database Situation Report, accessed 27 January 2023, http://www.coffeltdatabase.org/detreq2.php.)
| Joe Zelaski's remains were returned to the U.S. on March 13, 1968, and he was buried at Riverview Cemetery in Moundsville, West Virginia. He will always be remembered as he is memorialized at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., on Panel 42E, Line 045. He is also memorialized at the West Virginia Veterans Memorial located in Charleston, West Virginia. |  |
According to the U.S. Navy Memorial website, Lance Corporal Zelaski's medals and commendations include the Purple Heart, the Combat Action Ribbon, the Navy Presidential Unit Citation, the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal with 3 bronze service stars, the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Unit Citation, the Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Unit Citation, and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal. ("Leonard Joe Zelaski Jr.," accessed 26 January 2023, http://navylog.navymemorial.org/zelaski-leonard.)
On January 12, 2022, the West Virginia Legislature introduced House Concurrent Resolution Number 10 requesting the Division of Highways name a portion of U.S. Route 250 in Marshall County as the "U.S. Marine Corps LCPL Leonard Joe Zelaski, Jr. Memorial Road." The road was dedicated in May of 2022 with friends and cousins in attendance. (Alan Olson, "Road in Moundsville Named for Fallen Soldier," The Intelligencer [Wheeling News-Register], 28 May 2022, accessed 26 January 2023, https://www.theintelligencer.net/news/community/2022/05/road-in-moundsville-named-for-fallen-soldier/.) It is fitting that an enduring memorial was established to commemorate Joe Zelaski Jr. by honoring his life and his contributions to our state and country.
Article prepared by Larry Shepherd, Lillie Ridener, and MAJ (Ret) Brad McGee, George Washington High School JROTC
January 2023
West Virginia Archives and History welcomes any additional information that can be provided about these veterans, including photographs, family names, letters and other relevant personal history.