Out of the many Brunswick County men and women who served in the Vietnam war, ten lost their lives in service to our country.  The following is the story of two of those men,  Captain McKenzie William “Billy” Jinwright and First Lieutenant John Alexander Connell.

Billy Jinwright graduated from Brunswick County Training School, class of 1960. He was the second of five children born to his parents, Governor and Sadie Jinwright. Billy is remembered as being a very talented artist and a stellar academic student. Teachers would employ him to create works of art on their bulletin boards depicting the seasons and holidays. 

Billy entered North Carolina A&T College, Greensboro in 1960, studying to become an architectural engineer. He entered the school’s ROTC program. Billy was drafted before he could graduate. He completed his architectural engineering degree in the U.S. Army. When his sister Sarah joined the Army as a nurse, it was Billy who administered the oath.

Billy was a gifted architect. He drew the blueprints for the Blockade Runner Hotel in Wrightsville Beach. He also drew the plans for the open-air amphitheater at Fort Bragg. The founders’ block bears his name. 

Billy served with Charlie Company, 8th Engineer Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division (AMBL), USARV and distinguished himself in heroic and caring ways. He became an engineer and attained the rank of Captain. He was awarded the Bronze Star medal, the Purple Heart medal for his combat related wounds, the Vietnam Service medal, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Service medal, the National Defense Service medal, and the Good Conduct medal. 

Billy gave the last full measure of devotion when his helicopter crashed September 3, 1969. He was 27 years old. Captain McKenzie William Jinwright now rests in the Wilmington National Cemetery. In November, 2020, a tribute was made in honor of Captain Jinwright at the Brunswick County Training School High School reunion. 

 Southport’s John Connell was the son of Suzanne McLaurin and Allen Connell. He served with Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, “Bobcats”, 25th Infantry Division, “Tropic Lightning”, USARV. He served for two years before he lost his life in Tay Ninh, South Vietnam. 

John was awarded The Combat Infantryman’s Badge(CIB),The Bronze Star Medal with “V” device for Valor and One Oak Leaf Cluster, The Purple Heart Medal for his combat wounds, The Good Conduct Medal, The National Defense Service Medal, The Vietnam Service Medal with four Bronze Service Stars, The Republic of Vietnam campaign Medal Ribbon with Device(1960), The Combat Infantryman’s Badge(CIB), The Expert Badge with Rifle Bar, The Sharpshooter Badge with Machine Gun Bar, The Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm and The National Order Merit from the Republic of Vietnam.

John was only 23 years old when a sniper bullet took his life. The Community Services Center at Military Ocean Terminal, Sunny Point, is named in 1st Lt John Connells’ honor. Building number S-15 is named the John Alexander Connell Community Service Center in commemoration of First Lieutenant John Alexander Connell, who was a resident of Southport, North Carolina at the time of his entry into the US Army Active Service.

John was well-liked by his platoon who remembered him fondly after many years.

From his Platoon Sergeant: John often told me of sailing up and down the Atlantic along the east coast from the Carolinas and how he planned to return to sailing when he got home. We even thought we might crew together sometime. A sniper’s bullet ended all John’s dreams, but every time I feel a breeze in my face or look into the black sky filled with stars from horizon to horizon, I am reminded of a sailor I met over 30 years ago – Godspeed John – we’ll sail when we meet again.

From a fellow soldier: Another year has gone by, almost 33 years since we walked among the rows of rubber trees in the Ben Cui plantation. There was a kind of serenity about the place, yet it was there you died as I held your head on my lap and Jack tried to insert a needle in your arm to slow the bleeding. I have never known a sadder day in my life. I wonder if you are forever together with the other members of our platoon who spent the last moments of their lives away from home and family in a place called South Vietnam.