Larry L. Maxam

Larry Leonard Maxam (January 9, 1948 – February 2, 1968) was a United States Marine who posthumously received the United States' highest military honor — the Medal of Honor — for heroism in the Vietnam War in February 1968,

Larry Maxam was born on January 9, 1948, in Glendale, California. He attended Emerson Primary School, John Muir Junior High and Burbank High School, in Burbank, California, leaving the latter in 1964. Maxam was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in Los Angeles on March 8, 1965. After completing recruit training with the 3rd Recruit Training Battalion at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego in June 1965, he served briefly with the Casual Section of the 2nd Infantry Training Regiment at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. He then completed individual combat training with Company A, at Camp Pendleton, in July 1965. From August 1965 until February 1966, he served with the Marine Aviation Detachment, Naval Air Technical Training Center Jacksonville. Transferred to the 2nd Battalion 8th Marines, 2nd Marine Division, at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, he served as a rifleman with Company H. In November 1966, he joined the rolls of Company E, but served on temporary additional duty as a fireman with Headquarters and Service Company, Officer Candidates School at Marine Corps Base Quantico, and as a rifleman attached to Camp Garcia, Force Troops, Vieques, Puerto Rico. He was promoted to private first class on April 1, 1966, and to Lance Corporal on January 1, 1967. As a lance corporal, Maxam next served as a rifleman with Company F, Battalion Landing Team 2/8, in the Caribbean, until May 1967. In July 1967, he arrived in the Republic of Vietnam, and served as a rifleman, radioman, and squad leader with Company D, 1st Battalion 4th Marines, 3rd Marine Division. He was promoted to Corporal on October 1, 1967. While participating in Operation Kentucky on February 2, 1968, he was killed in action at Cam Lộ District Headquarters in Quảng Trị Province, Vietnam. Maxam is buried in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Oahu, Hawaii.