SOUTH BEND - Wayne A. McDuffie, 77, residing in South Bend, passed away unexpectedly Saturday morning, November 29, 2008. He was born August 18, 1931 in South Bend, the son of Charles and Sylvia (Kesler) McDuffie.
During the first summer after graduation (1949), the movie "Sands of Iwo Jima" came to South Bend. Being an avid John Wayne fan, he went to see the movie. He was so moved by it that the very next day he joined the Marine Corp. (About six months later, his younger brother, Joe, joined the Marines and soon found himself on the fighting front lines of Korea, also). Wayne proudly served his country in the U.S. Marine Corp. during the Korean Conflict from 1949 - 1952.
When his mother became critically ill and dying of cancer, Wayne was air-lifted out of Korea, in the midst of a heavy battle. Wayne had no idea why he was being ordered out at this time! After he arrived home (and at the funeral home for his mother), he learned that his whole platoon had been killed in that very battle (at Pork Chop Hill). This grieved him the rest of his life!
On 1 Jan 1952 Wayne married Alyce "Alicia" Gardea at St. Francis Xavier Chapel at Camp LeJuene, Oslow Co, North Carolina.
On November 21, 1953, in South Bend, IN, he was united in marriage to Patt 'Patsy' Morgan.
Wayne was very active with the Military Honor Park and Museum in South Bend, and was honored as Veteran of the Year. He was also a Purple Heart recipient.
He retired in 1992 following fifteen years working as a sales manager. He was a member of Calvary Baptist Church, South Bend. He is survived by his beloved dog "Duffie", three sisters, Alice Hoffman of Laguna Beach, CA, Sue Griffin of Glendale, AZ, and Marilyn McDuffie of Irvine, CA, a brother Joseph (Judith) McDuffie of South Bend, a sister-in-law, Wadette Yoder of North Liberty, and a brother-in-law, Wade "Skip" (Jeanie) Yoder of South Bend, numerous nieces and nephews including a very special niece, Kara Yoder of South Bend and a student at Purdue University.
Services will be held at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, December 7, 2008 in the Palmer Funeral Home-Guisinger Chapel, 3718 South Michigan St., South Bend, where the family will receive friends from 12:00 until service time. Rev. Reed Anderstrom will officiate. Graveside services and burial with MILITARY HONORS will at 2:00 p.m. Monday, December 8, 2008 at Remington Cemetery, Remington, IN.
Contributions in memory of Wayne A. McDuffie may be offered to The Center for Hospice & Palliative Care, Inc., 111 Sunnybrook Court, South Bend, IN 46637 - or to the Military Honor Park and Museum, 4300 Veterans Drive, South Bend, IN 46628.
(Published in the South Bend Tribune on 5 Dec 2008)
~~~~~~~~~~
[Discharge papers indicate that he enlisted on 26 Aug 1949 in Indianapolis and his service with the 2nd Marine Division:
15 Sep 50 - 7 Oct 50: Assault and seizure of Inchon, capture and securing of Seoul.
26 Oct 50 - 13 Dec 50: Participated in the Wonsan-Hung ham-Chosin campaign, Northern Korea.
16 Dec 50 - 9 Mar 51: Participated in operations against enemy forces in south and central Korea]
VETERAN OF THE YEAR, 2007: Sgt Wayne A McDuffie, USMC
"During his first summer after graduation, the movie "Sands of Iwo Jima" came to South Bend. Being an avid John Wayne fan, he went to see the movie. It so moved him that the very next day he joined the Marine Corps. He spent the next three months in boot camp at Parris Island, South Carolina, and was then stationed at 8th and I Streets in Washington, D.C. as a Presidential Guard. After spending several months in Washington, he was transferred to Camp Pendleton, California, and trained with an 81mm mortar crew. Since he was the biggest of the crew, he was assigned to carry the base plate which was not an easy task. He was then shipped to Kobe, Japan, where he received several more weeks of training, before going aboard an LST and shipped to Korea.
On 15 Sep 1950, he was involved in the assault on Inchon. His group was initially scheduled to be the 15th wave of the attack but ended up being the 5th wave at the seawall. And, as was his assignment, he carried not only his 75 lb. backpack but also the 75 lb. base plate. There was no sleeping this night! The next day, his unit was on their way to Seoul and under constant sniper fire. Upon securing Seoul, they began traveling north where two more battles were fought - Wonsan and Hungnam. Continuing north, the unit ended up at the Chosin Reservoir known as the "Frozen Chosin", as the temperature was minus 60 degrees F. It was here that they encountered the Chinese Army coming in from China and Manchuria. The fighting was fierce, and the unit remained there for almost a month.
After leaving the Chosin Reservoir, the unit headed south and after a boat ride from Wonsan Harbor, they ended up in Pusan. After a brief stay in Pusan, they traveled through many small villages and ended up at Pork Chop Hill. Here again, the fighting was fierce. While under heavy fire there, he received an emergency leave as his mother was very ill (dying of cancer). He returned home and after his leave, he was stationed at Crane Naval Station in Crane, Indiana for six months. He was then transferred to Camp LeJeune, North Carolina as Battalion Supply Sergeant where he ended his enlistment".
November 13, 1951:
At Mom's funeral in South Bend, the visitation room was full of family and friends but while talking with a fully dressed marine, Wayne grabbed onto a doorway and slid down to his feet, holding his head and weeping. This must have been when he heard the news that his whole platoon had been killed in that battle at Pork Chop Hill!
With Mom's prayers, he made it through several battle engagements without bodily harm, and after her death he would always say, "Mom saved me!"
(Sister Sue)
During the first summer after graduation (1949), the movie "Sands of Iwo Jima" came to South Bend. Being an avid John Wayne fan, he went to see the movie. He was so moved by it that the very next day he joined the Marine Corp. (About six months later, his younger brother, Joe, joined the Marines and soon found himself on the fighting front lines of Korea, also). Wayne proudly served his country in the U.S. Marine Corp. during the Korean Conflict from 1949 - 1952.
When his mother became critically ill and dying of cancer, Wayne was air-lifted out of Korea, in the midst of a heavy battle. Wayne had no idea why he was being ordered out at this time! After he arrived home (and at the funeral home for his mother), he learned that his whole platoon had been killed in that very battle (at Pork Chop Hill). This grieved him the rest of his life!
On 1 Jan 1952 Wayne married Alyce "Alicia" Gardea at St. Francis Xavier Chapel at Camp LeJuene, Oslow Co, North Carolina.
On November 21, 1953, in South Bend, IN, he was united in marriage to Patt 'Patsy' Morgan.
Wayne was very active with the Military Honor Park and Museum in South Bend, and was honored as Veteran of the Year. He was also a Purple Heart recipient.
He retired in 1992 following fifteen years working as a sales manager. He was a member of Calvary Baptist Church, South Bend. He is survived by his beloved dog "Duffie", three sisters, Alice Hoffman of Laguna Beach, CA, Sue Griffin of Glendale, AZ, and Marilyn McDuffie of Irvine, CA, a brother Joseph (Judith) McDuffie of South Bend, a sister-in-law, Wadette Yoder of North Liberty, and a brother-in-law, Wade "Skip" (Jeanie) Yoder of South Bend, numerous nieces and nephews including a very special niece, Kara Yoder of South Bend and a student at Purdue University.
Services will be held at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, December 7, 2008 in the Palmer Funeral Home-Guisinger Chapel, 3718 South Michigan St., South Bend, where the family will receive friends from 12:00 until service time. Rev. Reed Anderstrom will officiate. Graveside services and burial with MILITARY HONORS will at 2:00 p.m. Monday, December 8, 2008 at Remington Cemetery, Remington, IN.
Contributions in memory of Wayne A. McDuffie may be offered to The Center for Hospice & Palliative Care, Inc., 111 Sunnybrook Court, South Bend, IN 46637 - or to the Military Honor Park and Museum, 4300 Veterans Drive, South Bend, IN 46628.
(Published in the South Bend Tribune on 5 Dec 2008)
~~~~~~~~~~
[Discharge papers indicate that he enlisted on 26 Aug 1949 in Indianapolis and his service with the 2nd Marine Division:
15 Sep 50 - 7 Oct 50: Assault and seizure of Inchon, capture and securing of Seoul.
26 Oct 50 - 13 Dec 50: Participated in the Wonsan-Hung ham-Chosin campaign, Northern Korea.
16 Dec 50 - 9 Mar 51: Participated in operations against enemy forces in south and central Korea]
VETERAN OF THE YEAR, 2007: Sgt Wayne A McDuffie, USMC
"During his first summer after graduation, the movie "Sands of Iwo Jima" came to South Bend. Being an avid John Wayne fan, he went to see the movie. It so moved him that the very next day he joined the Marine Corps. He spent the next three months in boot camp at Parris Island, South Carolina, and was then stationed at 8th and I Streets in Washington, D.C. as a Presidential Guard. After spending several months in Washington, he was transferred to Camp Pendleton, California, and trained with an 81mm mortar crew. Since he was the biggest of the crew, he was assigned to carry the base plate which was not an easy task. He was then shipped to Kobe, Japan, where he received several more weeks of training, before going aboard an LST and shipped to Korea.
On 15 Sep 1950, he was involved in the assault on Inchon. His group was initially scheduled to be the 15th wave of the attack but ended up being the 5th wave at the seawall. And, as was his assignment, he carried not only his 75 lb. backpack but also the 75 lb. base plate. There was no sleeping this night! The next day, his unit was on their way to Seoul and under constant sniper fire. Upon securing Seoul, they began traveling north where two more battles were fought - Wonsan and Hungnam. Continuing north, the unit ended up at the Chosin Reservoir known as the "Frozen Chosin", as the temperature was minus 60 degrees F. It was here that they encountered the Chinese Army coming in from China and Manchuria. The fighting was fierce, and the unit remained there for almost a month.
After leaving the Chosin Reservoir, the unit headed south and after a boat ride from Wonsan Harbor, they ended up in Pusan. After a brief stay in Pusan, they traveled through many small villages and ended up at Pork Chop Hill. Here again, the fighting was fierce. While under heavy fire there, he received an emergency leave as his mother was very ill (dying of cancer). He returned home and after his leave, he was stationed at Crane Naval Station in Crane, Indiana for six months. He was then transferred to Camp LeJeune, North Carolina as Battalion Supply Sergeant where he ended his enlistment".
November 13, 1951:
At Mom's funeral in South Bend, the visitation room was full of family and friends but while talking with a fully dressed marine, Wayne grabbed onto a doorway and slid down to his feet, holding his head and weeping. This must have been when he heard the news that his whole platoon had been killed in that battle at Pork Chop Hill!
With Mom's prayers, he made it through several battle engagements without bodily harm, and after her death he would always say, "Mom saved me!"
(Sister Sue)
SOUTH BEND - Wayne A. McDuffie, 77, residing in South Bend, passed away unexpectedly Saturday morning, November 29, 2008. He was born August 18, 1931 in South Bend, the son of Charles and Sylvia (Kesler) McDuffie.
During the first summer after graduation (1949), the movie "Sands of Iwo Jima" came to South Bend. Being an avid John Wayne fan, he went to see the movie. He was so moved by it that the very next day he joined the Marine Corp. (About six months later, his younger brother, Joe, joined the Marines and soon found himself on the fighting front lines of Korea, also). Wayne proudly served his country in the U.S. Marine Corp. during the Korean Conflict from 1949 - 1952.
When his mother became critically ill and dying of cancer, Wayne was air-lifted out of Korea, in the midst of a heavy battle. Wayne had no idea why he was being ordered out at this time! After he arrived home (and at the funeral home for his mother), he learned that his whole platoon had been killed in that very battle (at Pork Chop Hill). This grieved him the rest of his life!
On 1 Jan 1952 Wayne married Alyce "Alicia" Gardea at St. Francis Xavier Chapel at Camp LeJuene, Oslow Co, North Carolina.
On November 21, 1953, in South Bend, IN, he was united in marriage to Patt 'Patsy' Morgan.
Wayne was very active with the Military Honor Park and Museum in South Bend, and was honored as Veteran of the Year. He was also a Purple Heart recipient.
He retired in 1992 following fifteen years working as a sales manager. He was a member of Calvary Baptist Church, South Bend. He is survived by his beloved dog "Duffie", three sisters, Alice Hoffman of Laguna Beach, CA, Sue Griffin of Glendale, AZ, and Marilyn McDuffie of Irvine, CA, a brother Joseph (Judith) McDuffie of South Bend, a sister-in-law, Wadette Yoder of North Liberty, and a brother-in-law, Wade "Skip" (Jeanie) Yoder of South Bend, numerous nieces and nephews including a very special niece, Kara Yoder of South Bend and a student at Purdue University.
Services will be held at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, December 7, 2008 in the Palmer Funeral Home-Guisinger Chapel, 3718 South Michigan St., South Bend, where the family will receive friends from 12:00 until service time. Rev. Reed Anderstrom will officiate. Graveside services and burial with MILITARY HONORS will at 2:00 p.m. Monday, December 8, 2008 at Remington Cemetery, Remington, IN.
Contributions in memory of Wayne A. McDuffie may be offered to The Center for Hospice & Palliative Care, Inc., 111 Sunnybrook Court, South Bend, IN 46637 - or to the Military Honor Park and Museum, 4300 Veterans Drive, South Bend, IN 46628.
(Published in the South Bend Tribune on 5 Dec 2008)
~~~~~~~~~~
[Discharge papers indicate that he enlisted on 26 Aug 1949 in Indianapolis and his service with the 2nd Marine Division:
15 Sep 50 - 7 Oct 50: Assault and seizure of Inchon, capture and securing of Seoul.
26 Oct 50 - 13 Dec 50: Participated in the Wonsan-Hung ham-Chosin campaign, Northern Korea.
16 Dec 50 - 9 Mar 51: Participated in operations against enemy forces in south and central Korea]
VETERAN OF THE YEAR, 2007: Sgt Wayne A McDuffie, USMC
"During his first summer after graduation, the movie "Sands of Iwo Jima" came to South Bend. Being an avid John Wayne fan, he went to see the movie. It so moved him that the very next day he joined the Marine Corps. He spent the next three months in boot camp at Parris Island, South Carolina, and was then stationed at 8th and I Streets in Washington, D.C. as a Presidential Guard. After spending several months in Washington, he was transferred to Camp Pendleton, California, and trained with an 81mm mortar crew. Since he was the biggest of the crew, he was assigned to carry the base plate which was not an easy task. He was then shipped to Kobe, Japan, where he received several more weeks of training, before going aboard an LST and shipped to Korea.
On 15 Sep 1950, he was involved in the assault on Inchon. His group was initially scheduled to be the 15th wave of the attack but ended up being the 5th wave at the seawall. And, as was his assignment, he carried not only his 75 lb. backpack but also the 75 lb. base plate. There was no sleeping this night! The next day, his unit was on their way to Seoul and under constant sniper fire. Upon securing Seoul, they began traveling north where two more battles were fought - Wonsan and Hungnam. Continuing north, the unit ended up at the Chosin Reservoir known as the "Frozen Chosin", as the temperature was minus 60 degrees F. It was here that they encountered the Chinese Army coming in from China and Manchuria. The fighting was fierce, and the unit remained there for almost a month.
After leaving the Chosin Reservoir, the unit headed south and after a boat ride from Wonsan Harbor, they ended up in Pusan. After a brief stay in Pusan, they traveled through many small villages and ended up at Pork Chop Hill. Here again, the fighting was fierce. While under heavy fire there, he received an emergency leave as his mother was very ill (dying of cancer). He returned home and after his leave, he was stationed at Crane Naval Station in Crane, Indiana for six months. He was then transferred to Camp LeJeune, North Carolina as Battalion Supply Sergeant where he ended his enlistment".
November 13, 1951:
At Mom's funeral in South Bend, the visitation room was full of family and friends but while talking with a fully dressed marine, Wayne grabbed onto a doorway and slid down to his feet, holding his head and weeping. This must have been when he heard the news that his whole platoon had been killed in that battle at Pork Chop Hill!
With Mom's prayers, he made it through several battle engagements without bodily harm, and after her death he would always say, "Mom saved me!"
(Sister Sue)
During the first summer after graduation (1949), the movie "Sands of Iwo Jima" came to South Bend. Being an avid John Wayne fan, he went to see the movie. He was so moved by it that the very next day he joined the Marine Corp. (About six months later, his younger brother, Joe, joined the Marines and soon found himself on the fighting front lines of Korea, also). Wayne proudly served his country in the U.S. Marine Corp. during the Korean Conflict from 1949 - 1952.
When his mother became critically ill and dying of cancer, Wayne was air-lifted out of Korea, in the midst of a heavy battle. Wayne had no idea why he was being ordered out at this time! After he arrived home (and at the funeral home for his mother), he learned that his whole platoon had been killed in that very battle (at Pork Chop Hill). This grieved him the rest of his life!
On 1 Jan 1952 Wayne married Alyce "Alicia" Gardea at St. Francis Xavier Chapel at Camp LeJuene, Oslow Co, North Carolina.
On November 21, 1953, in South Bend, IN, he was united in marriage to Patt 'Patsy' Morgan.
Wayne was very active with the Military Honor Park and Museum in South Bend, and was honored as Veteran of the Year. He was also a Purple Heart recipient.
He retired in 1992 following fifteen years working as a sales manager. He was a member of Calvary Baptist Church, South Bend. He is survived by his beloved dog "Duffie", three sisters, Alice Hoffman of Laguna Beach, CA, Sue Griffin of Glendale, AZ, and Marilyn McDuffie of Irvine, CA, a brother Joseph (Judith) McDuffie of South Bend, a sister-in-law, Wadette Yoder of North Liberty, and a brother-in-law, Wade "Skip" (Jeanie) Yoder of South Bend, numerous nieces and nephews including a very special niece, Kara Yoder of South Bend and a student at Purdue University.
Services will be held at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, December 7, 2008 in the Palmer Funeral Home-Guisinger Chapel, 3718 South Michigan St., South Bend, where the family will receive friends from 12:00 until service time. Rev. Reed Anderstrom will officiate. Graveside services and burial with MILITARY HONORS will at 2:00 p.m. Monday, December 8, 2008 at Remington Cemetery, Remington, IN.
Contributions in memory of Wayne A. McDuffie may be offered to The Center for Hospice & Palliative Care, Inc., 111 Sunnybrook Court, South Bend, IN 46637 - or to the Military Honor Park and Museum, 4300 Veterans Drive, South Bend, IN 46628.
(Published in the South Bend Tribune on 5 Dec 2008)
~~~~~~~~~~
[Discharge papers indicate that he enlisted on 26 Aug 1949 in Indianapolis and his service with the 2nd Marine Division:
15 Sep 50 - 7 Oct 50: Assault and seizure of Inchon, capture and securing of Seoul.
26 Oct 50 - 13 Dec 50: Participated in the Wonsan-Hung ham-Chosin campaign, Northern Korea.
16 Dec 50 - 9 Mar 51: Participated in operations against enemy forces in south and central Korea]
VETERAN OF THE YEAR, 2007: Sgt Wayne A McDuffie, USMC
"During his first summer after graduation, the movie "Sands of Iwo Jima" came to South Bend. Being an avid John Wayne fan, he went to see the movie. It so moved him that the very next day he joined the Marine Corps. He spent the next three months in boot camp at Parris Island, South Carolina, and was then stationed at 8th and I Streets in Washington, D.C. as a Presidential Guard. After spending several months in Washington, he was transferred to Camp Pendleton, California, and trained with an 81mm mortar crew. Since he was the biggest of the crew, he was assigned to carry the base plate which was not an easy task. He was then shipped to Kobe, Japan, where he received several more weeks of training, before going aboard an LST and shipped to Korea.
On 15 Sep 1950, he was involved in the assault on Inchon. His group was initially scheduled to be the 15th wave of the attack but ended up being the 5th wave at the seawall. And, as was his assignment, he carried not only his 75 lb. backpack but also the 75 lb. base plate. There was no sleeping this night! The next day, his unit was on their way to Seoul and under constant sniper fire. Upon securing Seoul, they began traveling north where two more battles were fought - Wonsan and Hungnam. Continuing north, the unit ended up at the Chosin Reservoir known as the "Frozen Chosin", as the temperature was minus 60 degrees F. It was here that they encountered the Chinese Army coming in from China and Manchuria. The fighting was fierce, and the unit remained there for almost a month.
After leaving the Chosin Reservoir, the unit headed south and after a boat ride from Wonsan Harbor, they ended up in Pusan. After a brief stay in Pusan, they traveled through many small villages and ended up at Pork Chop Hill. Here again, the fighting was fierce. While under heavy fire there, he received an emergency leave as his mother was very ill (dying of cancer). He returned home and after his leave, he was stationed at Crane Naval Station in Crane, Indiana for six months. He was then transferred to Camp LeJeune, North Carolina as Battalion Supply Sergeant where he ended his enlistment".
November 13, 1951:
At Mom's funeral in South Bend, the visitation room was full of family and friends but while talking with a fully dressed marine, Wayne grabbed onto a doorway and slid down to his feet, holding his head and weeping. This must have been when he heard the news that his whole platoon had been killed in that battle at Pork Chop Hill!
With Mom's prayers, he made it through several battle engagements without bodily harm, and after her death he would always say, "Mom saved me!"
(Sister Sue)
