Joseph William Mullen Jr., son of Joseph William Mullen Sr. and Doris A Swinburne, was born in Darby, Pennsylvania on August 15, 1946. He attended Torrance High School for 3 years before graduating from Monsignor Bonner High School in Darby in 1964. Before enlisting in the Marines he worked for Burgmaster Corp in Gardena.

Mullen enlisted in the Marines on June 14, 1966 and went through basic training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego as part of Platoon 2037. His tour started on September 1, 1967 and he was part of the 1st Marine Division, Company L, 3rd Battalion, 27th Marine Regiment. He was a rifleman with the rank of Lance Corporal and was part of the Counteroffensive Phase III campaign, Tet Counteroffensive Campaign, and Operation Alien Brook.

Lance Corporal Mullen was killed at the age of 21 on April 17, 1968, in Military Region 1, outside of Dong Ha in Quang Tri Province, Vietnam. He was on patrol when he was killed by a booby-trapped mortar shell. He was awarded the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation, Vietnam Civil Actions Unit Citation, and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.

He is buried in St. Peter and St. Paul’s Cemetery in Springfield, Pennsylvania.

Research by Noah Kim.