Scope and Contents

The collection consists of approximately 14.5 linear feet of materials documenting Sergeant Ernest Husted's USMC service with B Company, 3rd Recon, 3rd Division, 26th Marines from April 1967 to August 1969. The materials include artifacts; correspondence; journals; articles and clippings; audio; moving images; photographs; slides; maps; periodicals; newsletters; newspapers; propaganda leaflets; a calendar; pamphlets; directories; after action reports; and books. The materials are dated predominately 1966-1973.

Biographical / Historical

Sergeant Ernest Husted Jr. (known as Preacher) was born in 1947. He volunteered for the U.S. Marine Corps in 1967. He served in reconnaissance and as a radioman and team leader with B Company, 3rd Recon, 3rd Division, 26th Marines from 1967-1970 stationed at Fu Bai, Khan Tien, Hue, Quang Tri, and Khe Sanh. He was involved in the Battle of Khe Sanh. He received numerous awards including the Meritorious Unit Commendation, the Presidential Unit Citation, and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry. He was honorably discharged from the USMC in 1970 at the rank of 1st Sergeant, but continued to serve for 7 years in the Air Force Reserve and for 10 years in the Army Reserve - for a total of 22 years of military service.

After his military service, Sgt. Husted worked as an industrial firefighter and hazardous materials inspector. He volunteered as an EMT and worked for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), where he was deployed to various disaster zones. He served on the Ohio Medical Disaster Response Team and the Medical Reserve Corps. He also taught at various police academies on topics including terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, and hazardous materials.