Norm survived a large ambush on the Con Thien military base on May 8 th 1967 where 44 Marines were killed and more than 100 were wounded. He spent much of his time at Con Thien, a Marine Corps combat base located near the DMZ (Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone). While in Vietnam, Norm served on the front lines with the 1 st Battalion, 4 th Marine Division, experiencing intense combat. Norm was stationed at Camp Pendleton in southern California before being sent to Vietnam. Norm says these trainings instilled discipline and made him the man he is today. After finishing bootcamp, Norm completed infantry and communications training. During his third year of college, Norm left school and was promptly drafted into the Marine Corps in 1966. Norm attended St. Louis High School in Biddeford and then went on to college in New Brunswick where he played football. Originally from Biddeford, Norm is the son of Quebecois immigrants many members of his family worked in the mills in the area. It was an honor to hear Norm share his experiences as a Marine, his personal struggles after serving, and his invaluable life lessons for this Vietnam Veterans Day Special of ‘Answering the Call: Maine’s Veteran Voices’.” Even after his time in Vietnam, he has continued his selfless service as a resource in his community for veterans who are returning to civilian life or struggling with mental health challenges. “The country is forever indebted to Norm for his heroic actions and gallantry in the face of true danger. “A Marine who served in some of the deadliest battles of the Vietnam War, Norm Lajeunesse embodies the bravery, dedication, and sacrifice of our men and women in uniform,’” said Senator King. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs (SVAC) and Armed Services Committees (SASC), released his latest episode of “Answering the Call: Maine’s Veteran Voices.” In the 10 th interview of the series, produced in partnership with the Library of Congress’ Veterans History Project, Senator King sat down with Norm Lajeunesse of Kennebunkport, who served with the Marine Corps at the height of the Vietnam War. – In honor of National Vietnam War Veterans Day, U.S. Watch the interview HERE or download broadcast quality HERE
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