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LCPL.
DONNY LYNN TUCKER
Born
on Dec. 2, 1950
From STANFIELD, NORTH CAROLINA
Casualty was on Oct. 10, 1970
in QUANG NAM, SOUTH VIETNAM
Panel 7W - - Line 124
Donny
Lynn Tucker
LCpl. Donny Lynn Tucker served with the 3rd Battalion,
5th Marines, Mike Company in Vietnam. His name stands proudly on the
Mike 3/5 Wall of
Honor alongside the Marines he fought and died with. We will never
forget. Semper fi, Brother Marine.
  
Bronze
Star Certificate
Purple Heart
Certificate of Honorable Service
(click to enlarge)
Donny
Tucker
Best
Friend
I
was the M-60 gunner for our squad during my last few months incountry.
When I left, I turned it over to Donnie and wished him luck. He was
one of my closest friends. As my plane landed in California, I took
a picture of the flaps being lowered. I sent him the picture saying
it was the greatest feeling in the world. I wrote I would look him
up when he got back. The letter came back "undeliverable."
I
felt something bad had happened. It turns out they moved our company
to Firebase Ross, wherever that was. It wasn't a place we were familiar
with. He got hit with shrapnel in the head on Oct. 5, 1970, and died
in DaNang on Oct. 10th. His twin brother was stationed in DaNang and
got to see him in the hospital.
After
a journey of a thousand miles, I finally tracked down his family.
I will be coming to the reunion with his twin brother Ronnie from
Stanfield, NC. He is the nicest guy, just like his brother.
I
miss you Donny, and I wish I could have stayed with you for that last
month but they wouldn't let me stay for only a month more.
Semper
fi,
Thomas Wityak
Mike 3/5
Taw06488@cs.com
Hill
52, 8/70
Unknown,
unknown (only because of CRS), Tom Wityak, Donny Tucker
Donny's
grave in Locust, NC
Tom
Wityak and Ronny Tucker
May 18, 2001
Thirty-one
years after Donny's death, Tom drove from Connecticut to North Carolina
to bring Donny's twin brother, Ronny, to a 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines
Reunion in Georgia where Ronny got to meet Donny's fellow Marines.
Semper Fi, Ronny, we will never forget.
3/5
Reunion 2002
LaGrange, Georgia
Donny
Tucker's Family Honored
Left:
Chaplain Rogers, Ronny Tucker (Donny's twin), Tom Wityak (Donny's friend,
M/3/5)
Right: Sgt. Maj. Wright and Gen. Davis presented shadowbox of Donny's
medals to Ronny Tucker
Hey
"Reb"
I
went to the Wall two years ago and obtained a rubbing of your name.
I keep it with my memorabilia from Nam when we served together. I'm
sorry I wasn't there that day, maybe things would have been different.
I will always remember you my friend, and will always remember your
great smile and southern sense of humor. You helped me get through
a lot days in that dump. I know you are now guarding the pearly gates
and hope that I can see you again someday.
Your
friend,
Mario L. "Doc" DeLudos
served in same squad
Mike Company, 3rd Battalion 5th Marines
mdeludos@sheriff.martin.fl.us
Tuesday, June 01, 1999
Semper
Fi
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