CPL.
DONALD COLEMAN CROTTS
Born Nov. 7, 1945
Start of tour May 31, 1967
Casualty was on June 13, 1968
In QUANG NAM, SOUTH VIETNAM
HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
GUN, SMALL ARMS FIRE
Panel 57W - Line 7
Cpl.
Donald Coleman Crotts served with the 3rd Battalion, 5th
Marines, M Co. He was Killed in Action at the start of Operation MAMELUKE
THRUST. Semper Fi, brother Marine...we will never forget.
*********************************************************
Remembering
Donald Coleman Crotts
(Sent in by Rick Upleger, fellow Marine, M Co. 3/5)
I
arrived in Vietnam May of 1968, and at the beginning of June we were
on an operation......my first one.....3rd platoon, 3rd squad....Sgt.
Costello was my squad leader. Joe Smith and I were in the same fire
team. Crotts was walking point that day, and Joe was right behind
him. We were in the rice paddies heading into a wooded area and the
enemy opened up on us. Joe saw the gook that shot Crotts, but couldn't
get a shot at him. Sgt. Costello told me to go and recover his body,
it was me and Joe who recovered his body. Sgt. Costello also told
me that Crotts only had two to three weeks left on his tour. As a
new guy in Vietnam, I was not prepared for that. I'm not good at remembering
names, but his face is forever implanted in my brain. That experience
is part of what the Marine Corps could not teach you...you had to
learn it on your own. I will remember this for as long as I live.~Rick
Upleger
*********************************************************************
Friend,
and Brother Marine
(Sent in by Tom Blau, M Co. 3/5)
I
didn't know Crotts really well, but considered him my friend. As I
recall, Crotts' wife was pregnant at the time. Whenever I think about
that, it makes me want to cry. My youngest daughter was born June
16, 1968. I have cried inside for him and his family ever since.
I pray his child and family have had a good life.~Tom
Blau
************************************************
