Guns UpWELCOME ABOARD

Alpha Company, The Basic School Class of 1-68 mustered mid year 1967, and graduated at the end of the year, with 219 Lieutenants receiving their assigned military occupational specialties (MOS) and orders to duty.  Many went for further specialized training beyond that provided in The Basic Infantry Officers curriculum: air, artillery, engineering, air defense, logistics, tanks, motor transport, communications, to name some.  Those who were assigned to the infantry MOS universally went either directly to Vietnam or to recon training and then Vietnam.  It was worlds away.

Friend Down(April 2015) Forty nine members of the class have fallen.  Fifteen perished at their posts in combat in Vietnam; three died in flight accidents and thirty one died after returning home- many with shortened lives from the injuries suffered in Vietnam.  The majority of the class received Purple Heart Medals for their wounds.  Virtually all suffered numerous “inches from death” experiences, injuries and emotional scars.  It is honest to say that all were changed, and many became strangers to even their families. Being Officers Of Marines and leading Marines in combat is a serious undertaking.  There is no higher calling.

Chopper DownIn April of 2015, many of the members of this class came together in Fredericksburg, VA to renew friendships and share experiences.  Most have not had contact with each other since TBS graduation.  That is the way the military worked then- you went to war with Marines you had never met, and came home alone.  It is stunning that every single member of the class has been positively located and all but one contacted after these years.  For many, the joined fellowship of Marines with shared experiences will close a nagging open wound.  For all, the joining of like minded, hard, proud Marines will be a blast.

AS INFORMATION

We are saddened by the loss of these classmates.
Click on Name to learn more.

Name, Date of Death

John (Jack) F. Gies, 2024
Warren, Clifford B., 2023
Lewis, Francis Eric, 2022
Wietecha, Edward J., 2022
Selden, Jules B, 2022
Shackelford, Kenneth L., 2022
Bradstreet, Bernard F., 2022
Gee, David M, 2021
McGaughey, George L., 2022
Ley, Andrew J., 2020
Hauntz, David M., 2020
Lovely, Francis Beirne, 2020
Hudock, John M., 2019
DeLong, Michael P., 2018
Foresman, James L, 2018
Daigle, Paul R., 2017
McEntire, Thomas M., 2017
Black, William R, 2017
Rydstrom, Dennis C., 2016
Clark, John J. Jr., 2016
Morrow, Michael K., 2016
McClung, Michael Ervin, 2013
Radcliffe, Harry Quinten, 2013
St. John, Larry David, 2011
Ulrich, Carl William, 2010
Johnson, Ronald Paul, 2010
Dopher, Robert Conrad Jr, 2010
Hansen, Robert William, 2009
Ganter, Wiliam James, 2007
Moran, Donald Martin, 2007
Kozobarich, Larry L, 2007
Brinson, James Albert Jr. ,2006
Evans, Michael Lee, 2006
Chafey, Merritt Neville, IV, 2005
McCormack, Orval Wayne, 2002
Jones, William A, 2002
Ferguson, Michael Jeromy, 2002
Sergo, Richard A, 2001
Neal, Richard Oren, 2001
Wilbur, David E., 2001
Larrison, John Patrick, 1999
Pfeiffer, George Martin, Jr., 1998
Burkhart, Joseph J, 1995
Donnelly, William R. .Jr., 1994
Tritsch, John B, 1992
Chiesa, Robert E, 1991
Champe, Charles Randall, 1991
Belser, Joseph Henry Jr. , 1989
Chambers, Owen Sterling, 1982
Baker, David L, 1980
Jones, Stuart Carlisle Jr., 1977
Banning, Johnathon Jacques, 1973
Sandberg, Michael Bruce, 1973
Gates, Albert Henry Jr, 1970
DeCraene, Alan Charles, 1970
Casey, Robert Brian, 1969
Hagan, John Robert, 1969
Cooper, C Richard, 1968
Eckenrode, David John, 1968
Ross, William Gray, 1968
Barnes, Robert Crozier Jr., 1968
Laslie, Joseph Taylor, 1968
Allen, Joe Ebert, 1968
Muir, James, 1968
Gibson, Carl Reed, 1968
Spindler, John Gates, 1968
Cross, Herbert Terrell, 1968
Wright, Henry Arthur, 1968
Pearson, Thomas Rickard Jr., 1968
Ranstead, James Terrance, 1968