Dan Bullock
Dan Bullock | |
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| Born | December 21, 1953[1] Goldsboro, North Carolina, U.S.[1] |
| Died | June 7, 1969 (aged 15) An Hoa Combat Base, Quảng Nam Province, South Vietnam[1] |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service | United States Marine Corps |
| Years of service | 1968–1969 |
| Rank | Private first class |
| Unit | Company F, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division[1] |
| Battles / wars | Vietnam War † |
Dan Bullock (December 21, 1953 – June 7, 1969) was a United States Marine and the youngest U.S. serviceman killed in action during the Vietnam War, dying at the age of 15.
Early life and education
[edit]Dan Bullock was born in Goldsboro, North Carolina. He lived in North Carolina until he was about 12, when his mother died and he and his younger sister, Gloria, moved to Brooklyn, New York to live with their father and his wife.[2] He said he wanted to become a pilot, a police officer, or a United States Marine.[3]
Career
[edit]When Bullock was 14 years old, he altered the date on his birth certificate to show that he was born on December 21, 1949. He processed through the recruiting station, and enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps on September 18, 1968. He was a member of Platoon 3039 at Parris Island. At first he struggled to make it through, but was able to do so with the help of one of his fellow recruits.[4][5] Bullock graduated from boot camp on December 10, 1968.[6]
Private First Class Bullock arrived in South Vietnam on May 18, 1969, and was assigned as a rifleman in 2nd Squad, 2nd Platoon, Company F, 2nd Battalion 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division. He was stationed at An Hoa Combat Base, west of Hội An in Quảng Nam Province. Less than a month later on June 7, 1969, Bullock and three other Marines were occupying a bunker near the base airstrip when a People's Army of Vietnam sapper unit attacked the base at night, throwing a satchel charge into the bunker killing three Marines; Bullock was just 15 years old. He had been assigned to cleaning duty that night, but was transferred to the night watch after one Marine was wounded on night duty.[7][8][9]
After Bullock was interred, his grave site did not have a marker. A veteran's marker was finally provided in 2000.[10]
Legacy
[edit]On June 7, 2003, a section of Lee Avenue in Brooklyn, where Bullock had lived since age 11, was renamed in his honor. In 2019, a North Carolina state historical marker honoring his life was erected near his childhood home in Goldsboro near 200 West Ash Street.[7][11] The entrance to Elmwood Cemetery in southwest Goldsboro was named "PFC Dan Bullock Way".[12]
Military awards
[edit]Bullock's awards and decorations include:[13]
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References
[edit]- ^ a b c d "Dan Bullock". Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Fund. Retrieved 2024-09-11.
- ^ Scott, Melanie D. (October 30, 2000). "A Marine Too Young To Drive, Let Alone Die Pfc. Dan Bullock Was Only 15 When He Was Killed In Vietnam. A Friend Who Lives In Mount Laurel Is Pushing To Have That Sacrifice Recognized". philly.com. Archived from the original on April 20, 2013. (three-page article)
- ^ Buchner, Wolff (December 14, 2011). "Only The Good Die Young: In Memory Of PFC. Dan Bullock". The Inquisitr. Archived from the original on 2012-03-06. Retrieved September 11, 2020.
- ^ "Who was the youngest U.S. soldier killed in the Vietnam War". 18 October 2016.
- ^ "Brooklyn Marine was only 15 when he was killed in Vietnam". New York Daily News. 9 November 2014.
- ^ "Bullock, Dan, PFC". Together We Served.
- ^ a b "Rest in Peace USMC PFC Dan Bullock; youngest Vietnam KIA at age 15". The Washington Syndicate. May 29, 2010. Archived from the original on December 25, 2014.
- ^ Brian Thomas Gallagher (7 June 2019). "He Enlisted at 14, Went to Vietnam at 15 and Died a Month Later". The New York Times.
- ^ Momodo, Samuel (3 August 2019). "Dan Bullock (1953 - 1969)". Blackpast. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
- ^ "PFC. DAN BULLOCK FOUNDATION, INC. The Youngest American KIA in Vietnam War'". Archived from the original on 2002-08-03.
- ^ "Dan Bullock 1953-1969 (F-71)". North Carolina Department of Cultural and Natural Resources. December 18, 2023. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
- ^ Breslin, Ryan (May 16, 2017). "Youngest Vietnam Marine Killed in Action Honored With Street Name in Goldsboro". Spectrum News. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
- ^ "PFC Dan Bullock". Military Hall of Honor. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
Further reading
[edit]- "Marine, 15, Killed in Vietnam; Enlisted at 14, Lying About Age; MARINE, 15, DIES IN VIETNAM WAR". The New York Times. June 13, 1969.(subscription required)
External links
[edit]- Dan Bullock on The Wall of Faces, commemorative website supported by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Foundation
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