Name: Lawrence Joseph Doucette Rank: Hospital Apprentice Service Number: 7527779 Service: Navy Medical Company, US Navy (attached to the 1st Marine Division, United States Marine Corps) Awards: Combat Action Ribbon (Navy), Korean Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Purple Heart, Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation, Republic of Korea War Service Medal, United Nations Service Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Silver Star Date of Birth: June 29, 1929 Place of Birth: Reading, Middlesex County, Massachusetts Date of Enlistment: July 7, 1948 Age at Enlistment: 19 Date of Death: September 24, 1950 Age: 21 Cemetery: Forest Glen Cemetery, Reading, Middlesex County, Massachusetts Grave: Lot: 903_1491 A Grave: 3 Remembered on Panel 95, Wall of Remembrance, Korean Veterans War Memorial, Washington, DC Lawrence Joseph Doucette was the son of Joseph Hildebert Doucette (1906-1973) and Julia Anne Doucette (1901-1966). His father was born in Wedgeport, Argyle, Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia, and his mother was born in Quinan, Argyle, Yarmouth Co., NS. Lawrence’s siblings were Roy V Doucette (1916-2011), Paulie E Doucette (1933-2015), and Carl R Doucette (1937-2021). Joseph attended Reading Memorial High School, and his 1943 yearbook entry reads, “Everywhere one sees the band or orchestra, one discovers Larry. It is no wonder music is his favorite pastime. As a Junior, he won the R. H. S. Badminton Championship and for the past year he has served as a faithful member of the Traffic Force. Lawrence had also worked for the Post Office. He has completed the Civic Preparatory Course, and after graduation, he expects Uncle Sam to call him.” Enlisting in the Navy in 1948, Joseph served as a Hospital Apprentice, attached as a Corpsman with a Naval Medical Company to the 1st Marine Division of the US Marine Corps in Korea. He was killed in action from head wounds on September 24, 1950, while tending his wounded comrades at the Kum River, South Korea (near Hill 79). A Marine, Jack Whitter, recounted that on September 24, 1950, his unit had crossed the Han River from Yongdung-po [Yeongdeungpo], turned east and attacked towards Hill 79 in Seoul. They were proceeding down a paved road toward their objective when a jeep carrying three people drove past the column of Marines and as it did so, struck a mine that had been placed in the roadbed. Two of the occupants were killed and one, Corpsman Doucette, was lying on the ground when I got to him. The blast from the explosion went up through the floor of the jeep and much shrapnel hit Corpsman Doucette in his chest and face. Just three days earlier, he engaged the enemy while transporting wounded Americans from the battlefield and was posthumously awarded the Silver Star for his actions. For action September 21, 1950: “The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Hospitalman Lawrence Joseph Doucette (NSN: 7527779), United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy while serving with a Navy Medical Company attached to the FIRST Marine Division (Reinforced), in action against enemy aggressor forces in Korea on 21 September 1950. Serving as a Medical Corpsman, Hospitalman Doucette was returning from the front lines with an ambulance load of casualties when his vehicle was subjected to withering enemy automatic weapons fire from a cleverly concealed position. Quickly removing the wounded men under his care to a covered position, he then fearlessly and with complete disregard for his own personal safety assaulted the enemy position single-handedly, killing four of the enemy with well-placed rounds from his carbine. His great personal bravery and courageous devotion to duty saved his comrades from further injury or death. Hospitalman Doucette’s heroic actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.” Doucette is also remembered with a memorial honoring him at Washington Park (Mudville) on Washington Street in Reading. It consists of a large stone with a bronze plaque dedicated June 12, 1999. The entrance way to the park was also named Doucette Way.

Sources: American Battle Monuments Commission findagrave Korean War Project Korean War Veterans Memorial