Lt. Joe Ebert Allen
A Most Venerable Young Man
An Exalted American Hero
Obituary of Lt. Joe Allen
Arrangements for the services for Lt. Joe Ebert Allen, 22, U.S, Marine Corps., killed in action May 24, 1968. in South Vietnam are incomplete pending arrival of the body in the United States.
Riemanns' Fahey - Whitfield Funeral Home of Bay St. Louis will be in charge of arrangements but Lieutenant Allen's body will be taken to Yasame, the home of his parents, Col. and Mrs. Nunez C. Pilet, 1524 N. Beach. Bay St. Louis.
The funeral service will be held in Trinity Episcopal Church of Pass Christian where - he served as an acolyte and Crucifer. A new American flag is being placed in the church this week by Colonel and Mrs. Pilet in his honor.
"Internment will be In the Long Beach Cemetery.
Colonel and Mrs. Pilet received a letter Tuesday from their son dated May 15, 1968, in which he wrote:
"Not much to report. Everything is going well here and my platoon is still doing a fine job for me."
"We are doing nearly all of our work at night now since that's about the only time that the Vietcong (North Vietnam Army) are moving. At first everyone thought that the Vietcong had the advantage at night, but right now we are proving different.
Documents and letters we have captured indicated that the North Vietnam Army is tired of this war and don't understand why they are here. They are hungry and their supply lines are inadequate. They are fine soldiers and I have a great deal of respect for them. As good as they are, the Marines are better.
"I feel that I have done a lot here to have my men prepared and with one exception (a few nights ago a couple of our captured got away) we have taken full advantage of our contacts with them.
"Captain Harrington always accepts my ideas and plans and they have proved fruitful so that always makes me happy. It's just like hunting, and the same techniques I learned when I hunted behind our house apply.”
Lt. Joe Allen dies in action in Vietnam
Second Lt. Joe Ebert Allen, 22, a platoon leader with the U.S. Marine Corps in Vietnam, was killed in action Friday, May 24, 1968, in the perimeter of the demilitarized zone near Quang Tre. He was attached to Company D, First Battalion, First Marine Division.
His parents, Col. and Mrs. Nunez C. Pilet, North Beach, Bay St. Louis, were notified of his death late Monday. Funeral arrangements are incomplete.
Lieutenant Allen was an honor graduate of the U .S. Marine Officer Training School at Quantico, Va. and took part in the defense of Saigon after which he requested transfer to the battle zone. Scheduled for rest and recreation leave in a five days, a note pinned to a Mother's Day card in which he stated he had to "get the card off early before complete annihilation" was received by the family before notification of his death."
Born July 17, 1945 in New Orleans, La., he was the son to the late Ebert Ayers Allen of New Orleans. He spent most of his childhood in Pass Christian where he briefly attended elementary school before entering Christ Episcopal Day School in Bay St. Louis. He attended Gulfport West Junior High School where he received the God and Country award from the Joe Graham Post 119, American Legion. He was an honor student and class officer.
Lieutenant. Allen was a Cub Scout; attained the rank of Eagle in the Boy Scouts and was elected to the Order of the Arrow. He was a member of Trinity Episcopal Church in Pass Christian where he served as acolyte and Crucifer before entering Tulane University on a full Naval Reserve Officer Training Scholarship which he received on graduation from Gulfport High School in 1963.
An honor graduate of Gulfport High, he had an outstanding career at Tulane where he was elected to the military fraternities. Scabbard and Blade, and initiated into Kappa Delta Pi, honorary leadership fraternity.
On graduation, he received the Marine Corps Reserve Officers Association Plaque and the Award of Merit. He also was a member of the Alpha Tau Omega social fraternity and served as its president in his senior year.
He was an officer of the junior class at Tulane and was selected for a summer cruise to Europe with a group of midshipmen from the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis.
He received his wings from paratrooper school at Ft. Benning, Ga., while a junior and served as battalion executive officer and commanding officer. He graduated from Tulane with a double major in English and Latin American studies and was selected for intensive training in the Vietnamese language.
In addition to his parents, he is survived by a sister, Mrs. Barry Bell, nee Barbara Allen, of Philadelphia, Pa., and his maternal grandmother, Mrs. Lula Hart Williams, Camden, Ark.
Joe Ebert Allen was the son of Mrs. E.A. Allen (and the late Mr. Allen) of Sherman Drive in Pass Christian. At age 12, Joe received his Eagle Scout Award on April 24, 1958, being the youngest boy to ever receive such an award from Troop #205 at Long Beach. He was recognized as a seasoned scouter with 3 years as Cub Scout ending with WeBeLos.
As a 7th Grader at West Junior High School at Gulfport, he received the Superior Student decoration for playing first chair saxophone with the band, and ranking high in three major sports including football, basketball, and track. He was also an avid tennis player, horsback rider, and swimmer in the water ballet. — Having other interests in coin collecting, dog care, and reptile study.
He was also a craftsman having sold many articles in driftwood and leather through the local gift shops.
Upon receiving his Eagle Scout Award, he stated, “I’ve been real lucky in having good leaders, good teachers and good friends who have given me much of their time and taught me so many of their skills.”
In March 1959, Joe was elected as President of the Student Body of West Jr. HS in Gulfport. He was an Eagle Scout with Bronze Palm and a Senior Patrol Leader as well as being a member of the Order of the Arrow and served as an acolyte in the Pass Christian Trinity Episcopal Church.
In a special service on the grounds of Trinity Episcopal Church in Pass Christian on April 13, 1969, church and family members and friends assembled for the dedication of the Memorial Fountain for Joe Ebert Allen, who lost his life in Viet Nam on May 24, 1968.
Hurricane Camille was soon to take place on August 17, 1969.
The whole church complex was destroyed leaving only the Memorial Fountain in tact.
Hurricane Katrina fell the fountain in 2005
Lt Joe Ebert Allen is listed on The Virtual Wall as being from Bay St Louis
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