A U.S. Marine Corps veteran wounded during the Vietnam War has received long-overdue military honors nearly six decades after his service.
Cpl. Leo Perlmutter was injured during the Tet Offensive in January 1968, when a mortar blast sent shrapnel into his head. Perlmutter said he initially did not realize he had been hit until a medic began treating him.
Despite qualifying for multiple honors, including the Purple Heart and Bronze Star, the Purple Heart was never delivered at the time. That changed recently, when Rep. Chris Smith presented both medals during a ceremony at his constituent service center in Toms River. The event was attended by members of Marine Air Group 49, along with family and friends.
Smith, who helped initiate a review of Perlmutter’s records in 2024, acknowledged the decades-long delay but emphasized the importance of recognizing the veteran’s service.
Born in Germany to Holocaust survivors, Perlmutter later immigrated to the United States and volunteered for the Marines. He now lives in Lakewood, where he has resided for the past five years.