TOMS RIVER – Nearly six decades after being wounded in combat during the Vietnam War, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran has finally received long-overdue recognition for his service.
Cpl. Leo Perlmutter was injured during the Tet Offensive in January 1968, when North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces launched widespread attacks against U.S. and South Vietnamese troops. Amid incoming mortar fire, a blast struck near his position.
“I didn’t even know I was hit,” Perlmutter recalled. “A medic came to treat me. I was bleeding from the head from shrapnel.”
Though he qualified for multiple military honors, including the Purple Heart and Bronze Star, the Purple Heart was never delivered—until now.
Recently, Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., presented Perlmutter with the Purple Heart and Bronze Star during a ceremony at his constituent service center in Toms River. Smith, a former chairman of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs, was joined by representatives from Marine Air Group 49, based at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, along with Perlmutter’s family and friends.
“You took shrapnel, but thank God, you got through it. You survived,” Smith told the veteran during the ceremony.
Smith acknowledged the decades-long delay in awarding the medal but emphasized that the nation’s appreciation for Perlmutter’s service remains steadfast.
Perlmutter, who was born in Hamburg, Germany, is the son of Holocaust survivors who later immigrated to the United States. He volunteered to serve as a Marine as the Vietnam War intensified.
After returning home, he built a life in New York City and worked as a lifeguard and swimming instructor. He has lived in Lakewood, New Jersey, for the past five years.
Efforts to secure the long-overdue medal began in March 2024, when Smith contacted the National Personnel Records Center to review Perlmutter’s case. Although the medals were eventually approved and shipped, they were initially lost in transit, prompting further inquiries before their eventual delivery.
During the ceremony, Perlmutter accepted the medals to applause and reflected on his time in service, expressing deep respect for his fellow Marines.
“We are so very grateful for what you did,” Smith said. “This recognition underscores the honor and respect you deserve for your sacrifice.”
