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In Memoriam: MSgt. Colin Boussard


If you have any information related to Colin Broussard , his contributions to our  MSG and USMC  legacy, or any personal recollections, please send a note so that we can might  all be able to share and honor his memory.

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Collin Broussard
MSgt (Retired)

Marine Embassy Guard Battalion
Marine Security Guard  & PPSU

MSG Detachment Kathmandu, Nepal
1974

MSG Detachment Saigon, Vietnam
1975

MSG Detachment Nicosia, Cyprus
1975

MSG Detachment Dar ex Salaam, Tanzania
1975

MSG Detachment Stuttgart, Germany
1975

MSG Detachment Munich, Germany
1975

MSG Detachment Brussels
1976

Bodyguard/ Ambassador Martin - Saigon
Bodyguard/ Ambassador Crawford - Nicosia
ANCOIC/ Brussels

- Call Sign:  RAM - 





       Detachments: Kathmandu 1974, Saigon 1975, Nicosia 1975, Stuttgart 1975, Munich 1975 , Dar es Salaam 1975
 Brussels (ANCOIC) 1976
                       MOS:  8412    Career Recruiter
 Ken Crouse: "Colin was most proud of his accomplishments within his many assignments as a Marine Recruiter."

2537    Radio Chief

9982    Small Computer Operator / Programmer
              USMC Bio: *From Colin Broussard's biography found on the Fall-of-Saigon Marine Association Web site

MSgt Colin Broussard USMC served as a member of the Ambassador Graham Martin's Personal Security Unit in Saigon Republic of Vietnam during the Fall of Saigon, officially known as 'Operation Frequent Wind'.

During  'Operation Frequent Wind' MSgt (then SSgt) Broussard was assigned as an escort and driver for Ambassador Graham Martin.  He left South Vietnam at the side of Ambassador Martin on the third chopper out. SSgt Colin Broussard, Ambassador Martin's Bodyguard - Call Sign:  RAM

Personal Protective Security Unit (PPSU) Story

   

Assignments

11 June 1969

December  1969

June 1970 

December 1971
                 
 
January 1972

     January 1974

     April 1974 



   December 1974

   April 1975 - 
 
September 1975 

  



September 1976

 
   September 1978
 
  
September 1982
                
  


September 1985


   September 1989 
Boot Camp - MCRD San Diego 

Field Radio School 

1Bn 11th Marines / Med Cruise 

Naval Gunfire Platoon, H&S Bn, 3rd Marine Div - Okinawa
Instructor Naval Gunfire School, Philippines

Platoon Sergeant Naval Gunfire Schoo, 1st Marine Div, Camp Pendleton
           
Radio Chief, 2nd Light-Anti-Aircraft Bn, Yuma

Marine Security Guard School
Bodyguard School
Special Security Guard Detail, DOS, Washington D.C.
  
American Embassy, Kathmandu, Nepal   - Marine Security Guard

American Embassy, Saigon, Vietnam - Bodyguard to Ambassador Gram Martin

American Embassy , Nicosia, Cyprus - Bodyguard to Ambassador William Crawford

Body Guard to Ambassador William Crawford, Nicosia, Cyprus
(after assassination of Ambassador Davies)


A/NCOIC MSG Detachment Brussels Belgium


Communication and Radio Chief, 1st Bn, 11th Marines, Camp Pendleton


Recruiting School,  
                NCOIC Recruiting Sub Station
                Assistant Recruiting Instructor, Recruiting Station Los Angeles,
                

Instructor, Sales and Communications Skills, Marine Corps Recruiters School


NCOIC 12th Marine Corps District Officer & Enlisted Recruiting (10 Western States)
                 ... 
Private First Class

Private First Class

Lance Corporal

Corporal - Meritoriously


Sergeant









Staff Sergeant














Gunnery Sergeant- Meritoriously





Master Sergeant

Awards & Decorations

Ken Crouse: "Relative to the Awards and Decorations section, please change Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal to Vietnam Service Medal. This was a DD215 item received after he wrote the bio... The VSM issue was huge to Colin as the AFEM was awarded to participants of Operation Frequent Wind. Colin always felt that to be a bit of a slap in the face since he felt we should've been awarded the Vietnam Service Medal. However, eligibility for the VSM ended in March of 1973 with the withdrawal of the combat forces following the signing of the Paris Peace Accords that January. Through Colin's initiative and the leadership of his Congressman, Duncan Hunter, authorization for the VSM was signed into law by President Bush with the 2003 Defense Authorization Act. More on that on the fallofsaigon.org website... What should be noted, though, is that this was Colin's idea - not the American Legion, Vietnam Veterans of America or anyone else. It was Colin's idea - perhaps a few of us wrote some letters, but it was Colin that first came up with the issue and carried it to his Congressman after we were turned down by the Secretary of Defense's office and the Pentagon (SecDef could've done it with a stroke of the pen, but didn't or would not)..."

- Navy Commendations Medal
- Navy Achievement Medal
- Combat Action Ribbon
- Navy Unit Citation (1 Star)
- Meritorious Unit Citation (3 Stars)
- Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal (6 Stars)
- National Defense Medal
- Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
- Humanitarian Medal
- Marine Corps Overseas Deployment Ribbon
- Sea Service Deployment Medal
- Marine Security Guard Ribbon
- *Vietnam Service Medal

Personal Bio:


                          DOB: September 3, 1950
                     Parents: Amy "Penny" Beck (formerly Broussard) and Lawrence Broussard (Deceased)
                    Children: Kelly Broussard Mackaig (Daughter), Son-in-Law:  Jessie Mackaig
                    Brothers: Randy Brousard (USMC) ,
Michael Beck (USMC),
Tim Beck (USAF),
               Occupation: USMC Retired
Webmaster:    Fall-of-Saigon Marine Association
             Date Passed: December 25, 2005
Place of internment: Houston National Cometary




Broussard Family Veterans:

Veteran's Name

Rank

Service

War/Links

       
Ovignac Broussard Private

CSA

Civil War  
7th Regiment  Volunteer Calvary
Arthur Brown Sergeant Army/Calvary Cold War
Lawrence Broussard  PO3 / Sergeant

Navy/Army

WWII
Glen Beck Chief Engineer Merchant Marines WWII
Colin Broussard Master Sergeant

USMC

Vietnam War/Cold War
Randy Broussard  Sergeant USMC/USMCR Vietnam War Era/Cold War
Michael Beck Corporal USMC Cold War
Timothy Beck Sergeant USAF Cold War
 

 

 

 

Colin's Ancestry

 *Obtained from the Broussard Family Website: http://www.broussardfamily.org

Great Great Grand Father:
Ovignac Broussard
           Great Grand Father: David Broussard
                      Grand Father: Adam Broussard 
                     Grand Mother
: Anita Broussard
                     Grand Father: Arthur Brown    Grand Mother: Eldie Brown
                                 MotherAmy Beck                       Father: Lawrence Broussard
                        Step Father Glen Beck
                             Brothers:  Randy BroussardMichael Beck | Timothy Beck
                                      Wife: Kathy (Armstrong) Tadlock (Divorced):
                              ChildrenKelley (Broussard) Mackaig       Son in Law:  Jessie Mackaig    Grand Children: Connor Mackaig
                                    Pets:    Daisey and Blondie   Essie



Articles and Web Content

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Colin's Close Friends

Ken Crouse 1975 - 2006 US Embassy, Saigon Vietnam
Fall of Saigon Marine Association
Comments:
Date: 17 Jan 2006:
Colin always remembered his friends, too, and never took a single one for granted. Last March the attached photo was taken in Congressman Hunter's El Cajon Office when I went down there with MGySgt John Valdez (President of the association and our former NCOIC in Saigon) and Colin to present the Congressman with a plaque in appreciation for his work on the VSM issue. Colin would always call me up and say how we needed to do this or that... perhaps how someone had done something "outstanding" - in the true Marine Corps vernacular of its use - and we'd have to figure out how to recognize that person (it was never a negative thing or a gripe).. even the plaque for Congressman Hunter was done that way... Colin called me up and said he's gotten this K-Bar, Vietnam Service Medal, Marine Corps pin, etc. and was going to go over and give it to the Congressman.. O.K., when you want to do it and he made an appointment with the office and I flew down, Colin and Top met me at the airport, we had breakfast and then off we went to the Congressman's office... I had learned over the years not to question anything he suggested, but just figure out my role if there was one to be had, salute sharply and fall in :-)... The Corps could use more Marines like Colin.
 
s/f Ken

PPSU Team
Saigon, VN
1975 SSgt Clem Segura
SSgt Dwight McDonald
SSgt Jim Daisy
Sgt Paul Gozgit
Comments:

MSG Detachment
Saigon, VN
MSgt. John Valdez       Doug Portratz
Ken Crouse                   Bill Spruce
John Ghilain                   Kevin Maloney
Randy Smith                  Bill Newell
Comments:

Col Steve Hastey
1975 MSG Detachment Cam Tho
Fall of Saigon Assoc. Historian
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Subject
Master Sergeant Colin Broussard
Item Type
In Memoriam Profile
Item Number
HP_Saigon_1975_ColinBroussard
Location of Master
MEGA
Contact
TBD


  MSG Detachments








Norm Thompson

Historical Committee
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