Danny enlisted in the Marine Corps on May 10, 1967 at the age of 19. Just a little over 5 months later, on October 21st, he was sent to Vietnam.
He celebrated his 20th birthday in Vietnam, but would never see his 21st. On June 3, 1968, near Quang Nam in South Vietnam, Danny was severely wounded in action. After being stabilized on a Naval Hospital ship anchored outside Da Nang, Danny was airlifted to USNH #5, Philadelphia Naval Hospital, Philadelphia, PA.
We did our best for Danny, but it wasn't enough. As a young Navy Nurse, having served only 1 year at that time and only 3 years older than Danny, I was deeply touched by how very sweet he was and how very sick he had become. He had severe head wounds, and as the doctors said, there was nothing more they could do, as "his brain was rotting away." I had many patients there, both younger and older, before and after I met Danny, most of whom were badly wounded, but for some reason, Danny is the one I remember best.
Danny died of his wounds after fighting to live for over 4 months. The Marine Corps listed his death as: "Hostile, Died of Wounds, Other Explosive Device, Ground Casualty." Danny was a member of the 3rd Marine Division, 26th Marines Regiment, 1st Battalion, A Company.
I have visited Danny many times at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington DC. He is on Panel 41W, Line 73 if you would like to pay your respects. It doesn't get any easier each time I go.
The newspaper for his home town, The Daily Courier, Connellsville, PA chronicled his Marine Corps tour:
8/4/1967 "Parris Island, S.C.-Marine Private Daniel E. Fike, son of Mrs. Jean C. Fike of 69 Lawn Ave., Uniontown, Pa., has graduated from eight weeks of recruit training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot here."
7/24/1968 "Wounded in Vietnam: Pfc. Daniel E. Fike, son of Mrs. Jean M. Fike of Uniontown, was seriously wounded while on a Marine patrol near Quang Nam, Vietnam. He now is in the U.S. Navy Hospital, Philadelphia."
10/31/1968 ""The Defense Department reported Tuesday the combat death in Vietnam of Marine Lance Cpl. Daniel E. Fike, son of Mrs. Jean Fike, 69 Lawn Ave., Uniontown, Pa."
Rest in Peace, Danny.
He celebrated his 20th birthday in Vietnam, but would never see his 21st. On June 3, 1968, near Quang Nam in South Vietnam, Danny was severely wounded in action. After being stabilized on a Naval Hospital ship anchored outside Da Nang, Danny was airlifted to USNH #5, Philadelphia Naval Hospital, Philadelphia, PA.
We did our best for Danny, but it wasn't enough. As a young Navy Nurse, having served only 1 year at that time and only 3 years older than Danny, I was deeply touched by how very sweet he was and how very sick he had become. He had severe head wounds, and as the doctors said, there was nothing more they could do, as "his brain was rotting away." I had many patients there, both younger and older, before and after I met Danny, most of whom were badly wounded, but for some reason, Danny is the one I remember best.
Danny died of his wounds after fighting to live for over 4 months. The Marine Corps listed his death as: "Hostile, Died of Wounds, Other Explosive Device, Ground Casualty." Danny was a member of the 3rd Marine Division, 26th Marines Regiment, 1st Battalion, A Company.
I have visited Danny many times at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington DC. He is on Panel 41W, Line 73 if you would like to pay your respects. It doesn't get any easier each time I go.
The newspaper for his home town, The Daily Courier, Connellsville, PA chronicled his Marine Corps tour:
8/4/1967 "Parris Island, S.C.-Marine Private Daniel E. Fike, son of Mrs. Jean C. Fike of 69 Lawn Ave., Uniontown, Pa., has graduated from eight weeks of recruit training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot here."
7/24/1968 "Wounded in Vietnam: Pfc. Daniel E. Fike, son of Mrs. Jean M. Fike of Uniontown, was seriously wounded while on a Marine patrol near Quang Nam, Vietnam. He now is in the U.S. Navy Hospital, Philadelphia."
10/31/1968 ""The Defense Department reported Tuesday the combat death in Vietnam of Marine Lance Cpl. Daniel E. Fike, son of Mrs. Jean Fike, 69 Lawn Ave., Uniontown, Pa."
Rest in Peace, Danny.
Danny enlisted in the Marine Corps on May 10, 1967 at the age of 19. Just a little over 5 months later, on October 21st, he was sent to Vietnam.
He celebrated his 20th birthday in Vietnam, but would never see his 21st. On June 3, 1968, near Quang Nam in South Vietnam, Danny was severely wounded in action. After being stabilized on a Naval Hospital ship anchored outside Da Nang, Danny was airlifted to USNH #5, Philadelphia Naval Hospital, Philadelphia, PA.
We did our best for Danny, but it wasn't enough. As a young Navy Nurse, having served only 1 year at that time and only 3 years older than Danny, I was deeply touched by how very sweet he was and how very sick he had become. He had severe head wounds, and as the doctors said, there was nothing more they could do, as "his brain was rotting away." I had many patients there, both younger and older, before and after I met Danny, most of whom were badly wounded, but for some reason, Danny is the one I remember best.
Danny died of his wounds after fighting to live for over 4 months. The Marine Corps listed his death as: "Hostile, Died of Wounds, Other Explosive Device, Ground Casualty." Danny was a member of the 3rd Marine Division, 26th Marines Regiment, 1st Battalion, A Company.
I have visited Danny many times at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington DC. He is on Panel 41W, Line 73 if you would like to pay your respects. It doesn't get any easier each time I go.
The newspaper for his home town, The Daily Courier, Connellsville, PA chronicled his Marine Corps tour:
8/4/1967 "Parris Island, S.C.-Marine Private Daniel E. Fike, son of Mrs. Jean C. Fike of 69 Lawn Ave., Uniontown, Pa., has graduated from eight weeks of recruit training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot here."
7/24/1968 "Wounded in Vietnam: Pfc. Daniel E. Fike, son of Mrs. Jean M. Fike of Uniontown, was seriously wounded while on a Marine patrol near Quang Nam, Vietnam. He now is in the U.S. Navy Hospital, Philadelphia."
10/31/1968 ""The Defense Department reported Tuesday the combat death in Vietnam of Marine Lance Cpl. Daniel E. Fike, son of Mrs. Jean Fike, 69 Lawn Ave., Uniontown, Pa."
Rest in Peace, Danny.
He celebrated his 20th birthday in Vietnam, but would never see his 21st. On June 3, 1968, near Quang Nam in South Vietnam, Danny was severely wounded in action. After being stabilized on a Naval Hospital ship anchored outside Da Nang, Danny was airlifted to USNH #5, Philadelphia Naval Hospital, Philadelphia, PA.
We did our best for Danny, but it wasn't enough. As a young Navy Nurse, having served only 1 year at that time and only 3 years older than Danny, I was deeply touched by how very sweet he was and how very sick he had become. He had severe head wounds, and as the doctors said, there was nothing more they could do, as "his brain was rotting away." I had many patients there, both younger and older, before and after I met Danny, most of whom were badly wounded, but for some reason, Danny is the one I remember best.
Danny died of his wounds after fighting to live for over 4 months. The Marine Corps listed his death as: "Hostile, Died of Wounds, Other Explosive Device, Ground Casualty." Danny was a member of the 3rd Marine Division, 26th Marines Regiment, 1st Battalion, A Company.
I have visited Danny many times at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington DC. He is on Panel 41W, Line 73 if you would like to pay your respects. It doesn't get any easier each time I go.
The newspaper for his home town, The Daily Courier, Connellsville, PA chronicled his Marine Corps tour:
8/4/1967 "Parris Island, S.C.-Marine Private Daniel E. Fike, son of Mrs. Jean C. Fike of 69 Lawn Ave., Uniontown, Pa., has graduated from eight weeks of recruit training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot here."
7/24/1968 "Wounded in Vietnam: Pfc. Daniel E. Fike, son of Mrs. Jean M. Fike of Uniontown, was seriously wounded while on a Marine patrol near Quang Nam, Vietnam. He now is in the U.S. Navy Hospital, Philadelphia."
10/31/1968 ""The Defense Department reported Tuesday the combat death in Vietnam of Marine Lance Cpl. Daniel E. Fike, son of Mrs. Jean Fike, 69 Lawn Ave., Uniontown, Pa."
Rest in Peace, Danny.
Inscription
PENNSYLVANIA
LCPL US MARINE CORPS
VIETNAM PH
