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Retired Marine Jesse Branch recalls Porkchop Hill, outlines plans to help Fairfield veterans
Summary
Retired U.S. Marine Sergeant Major Jesse Branch recounted combat at Porkchop Hill, recovery from wartime wounds, and said he plans to work in Fairfield to help veterans secure affordable housing and employment.
Jesse Branch, a retired United States Marine Corps sergeant major, recounted serving in Korea and Vietnam, including combat at Porkchop Hill, and said he plans to focus on helping veterans in Fairfield obtain affordable housing and jobs.
Branch introduced himself as "Jesse Branch, AKA Sergeant Major" and described joining the Marines at 17 after graduating high school in South Carolina in the 1950s. He said poverty at home and the example of an uncle — "the first black officer in the Marine Corps" from 1942 — inspired him to enlist.
Describing combat in Korea, Branch said he "was in the Battle of Porkchop Hill," called the experience "frightening," and recounted being wounded while moving a severely wounded fellow Marine to safety. He said he "just kinda blanked out" afterward and that the experience produced nightmares for more than a year, requiring therapy to recover.
Asked what being called "Sergeant Major" meant to him, Branch said the title "carries a lot of weight," that it is widely recognized and reflects a long military career. Looking ahead, he said his goals in Fairfield include making sure veterans have "an affordable place to live" and the ability to "get a job." He framed that work as service to others.
In closing, Branch urged community involvement, saying people should "not give up" and "if they see something, say something," and ended with the aphorism, "Together we stand. Divided we fall."
