In last week's newsletter, SGT Dave Charbonneau left a remembrance to his Senior Drill Instructor, GYSGT C.D. Mortis. A real tribute to a Marine's Marine. But, if I could be so bold, since I did not know the GYSGT, but I do know the Marine to his left in the Platoon photo, Assistant Drill Instructor SGT J.C. Pleasants. Platoon 353 was Pleasants last at MCRD PI. Joe Pleasants passed on to me the 7 platoon books that he helped train at PI, to research the names of the new Marines for possible KIA's in Viet Nam. For the research I do, trying to find photos of Marine KIA's, this was a 'gold mine'.
In my research of Platoon 353 what was more compelling to me was that there was only 1 KIA, a true testament to the training, discipline and leadership of GYSGT Mortis. This platoon was trained and sent to serve in Viet Nam in what would be the most deadliest time during the Viet Nam war, the Tet Offensive.
Attached is a cropped photo from the Platoon 353 red graduation book. On the right, new Marine Charbonneau, on the left beside him, Vincent S. Coles, Newark, NJ, KIA in Viet Nam on 16MAY68 a member of I/3/27.
A link to the work I did:
http://www.vvmf.org/thewall/Wall_Id_No=9833
Semper Fidelis!
Jim McIlhenney
USMC '68-'70
RVN '69-'70