Alfred M. Wilson

In July 2015, Hood Junior High School in Odessa was renamed, Wilson and Young Medal of Honor Middle School; In their honor.

On April 20, 1970, his Medal of Honor was presented to his family by Vice President Spiro T. Agnew at the White House.

Wilson was killed in action in the vicinity of Fire Support Base Cunningham, Quang Tri Province on March 3, 1969. While returning from a reconnaissance mission, Wilson's platoon was ambushed. While facing fire to retrieve the machine gun from the platoon's wounded machine gunner, an enemy hand grenade was thrown between Wilson and a fellow Marine. Wilson threw himself on the grenade, absorbing the full force of the blast, sacrificing his life. For these actions, Wilson was posthumously promoted to the rank of Corporal; and was awarded the Medal of Honor. He was buried in Sunset Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Odessa, Texas.

He underwent recruit training with the 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, Recruit Training Regiment, Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, California. Upon completion of recruit training, in April 1968, he was transferred to Camp Pendleton, California, and completed individual combat training with Company D, 1st Battalion, 2nd Infantry Training Regiment, in May, and basic infantry training in June. He was promoted to private first class on July 1, 1968.

Private First Class Wilson arrived in the Republic of Vietnam in July 1968, and was assigned duty as a rifleman with Company D, 1st Battalion, 27th Marines, 1st Marine Division. He served in this capacity until September 1968. He was later reassigned as a rifleman with Company M, 3rd Battalion, 9th Marines, 3rd Marine Division.

He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserve at Abilene, Texas, on November 1, 1967, and was discharged to enlist in the Regular Marine Corps on January 14, 1968.

Alfred Mac Wilson (January 13, 1948 – March 3, 1969) was a United States Marine who posthumously received the Medal of Honor for heroism in Vietnam in March 1969.

Alfred M. Wilson was born on January 13, 1948, in Olney, Illinois. He moved with his family to Odessa, Texas, in 1950 and attended Burleson Elementary School and Crockett Junior High School and in 1967 graduated from Odessa Senior High School. He was active in football and track as well as the Distributive Education Club while in high school. His hobbies included shooting, hunting, fishing, football, and tennis.