Fullbore Friday
libraries of stories untold
Sometimes, in the course of looking for one thing, you stumble on to another.
Such is the case of Master Sergeant Robert Cyrill Donald, USA.
I happened to be bouncing through the Vietnam Veterans Memorial “Wall of Faces” page when this pic came up:
My first thought was, “My brother, what were you doing in Vietnam, you’re too old for this sh1t.”
Maybe it was just a bad picture, but no. The Special Forces Roll of Honor had the details:
UNIT: 5 SF Group (Det A-241)
RANK: Master Sergeant
NUMBER: 20118620
DATE OF DEATH: 17th February 1967
AGE: 52
GRAVESITE: Arlington National Cemetery,Virginia Section 51 Site 2343
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
from Fayetteville,North Carolina
born 12.7.1914 Canada
son of Andrew Duncan and Christine Donald
husband of Janet E. (nee Odlum) Donald, 204 Hillcrest Drive, Fayetteville, North Carolina (1918-2003) (9 children)
enlisted National Guard 17.1.1932
US Citizen 7.3.1938
3 years high school
unskilled woodworker in civilian life
enlisted 16.9.1940 Boston,Massachusetts (Sergeant,Coast Artillery Corps)
served in WW2
served Korean War
48 Infantry Regiment (Company D) 1962
awards Bronze Star,Army Commendation Medal
KIA Polei Kleng, Kontum Province, South Vietnam
Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C. Panel 15E Line 54
Just look at the man in full.
Enlisted at 24 in the heart of the Great Depression. Fought in WWII. Fought in Korea. A member of one of the first cohort of people in Special Forces as a senior leader after President Kennedy kicked it off, I am sure.
A father of nine.
He was KIA 02/17/1967 at or while operating out of the Polei Kleng Special Forces base in the Central Highlands in what was at least his second tour in Vietnam.
I cannot find out anything else about this man … but there has to be one hell of a story, not just about the man, but the journey of the Army and the nation he served from the 1930s to the 1960s - serving a the front at age 52.
Does Netflix need an idea for a new mini-series?
I don’t know his story, but in a way, I don’t need to.
Fullbore.
CDR Sal: You said: "I cannot find out anything else about this man … but there has to be one hell of a story, not just about the man, but the journey of the Army and the nation he served from the 1930s to the 1960s - serving at the front at age 52...I don’t know his story, but in a way, I don’t need to." A powerful, and IMO, fitting tribute. The nation he served had a lot of men like him throughout its history. We honored them with medals and parades, because, (I think) while many appreciated what they did, they (we) were not comfortable thinking about "what" they actually did while fulfilling George Orwell's words: “We sleep safely in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm.” RIP Master Sergeant Robert Cyrill Donald, USA...I sincerely hope you have found it.
CDR Salamander, you said what I was thinking, I didn't know Master Sargent Robert Cyrill Donald, USA, but I knew him, and I know him, and life is all the more richer for it. The photo of Master Sargent Donald in what looks to be Southeast Asia (somewhere, anywhere) is epic. It reminds one of the photos of Bull Simons or Charlie Beckwith, men who asked for no quarter and gave none. Hard as tempered steel. We can juxtapose Master Sargent Donald against say oh I don't know, that desk warrior Mark Milley, and ask how it is so, that Milley et al live with themselves, one would think that broad yellow stripe down the back of their Pink and Green blouses would get heavy after while. While it would be astounding for Netflix or HBO to do a series on Master Sargent Donald, the story of SF actions in Southeast Asia would enormously interesting. Personally, having served with Marines who fought at Khe Sanh and Hue' I would not mind a Netflix or HBO series on those two seminal fights.
As always thanks CDR Salamander for finding the very interesting material that you bring forward with such regularity. We few, we happy few. We knew him, and know him, and maybe in Valhalla we will meet and Master Sargent Donald with humor and some distain will teach us how to start a fire in the sopping wet jungle and BBQ a local snake.