thedrifter
03-16-08, 08:53 AM
Article published Mar 16, 2008
He's searching for his old comrade's family
BILL MOOR
A couple of times a year -- often more -- Mike Fulkerson and his wife Barb drive over to Granger from their Michigan City home to visit an old friend.
His name is John Abbott, a young Marine officer who died in Vietnam a few months before his 24th birthday.
"I usually end up talking to him a little and cleaning up the area around his grave," Mike says.
He has been doing that for the last 10 years after he found out that John was buried in St. Joseph Valley Memorial Park off Cleveland Road.
"John was from Hammond, but I was told his wife was from Mishawaka and that's why he ended up here," Mike says.They had become fast friends -- going through their officers' training course together and shipping out to Vietnam in the same company.
"John was one of the first guys I met during our Marine indoctrination at Quantico," Mike says. "Our whole class developed a bond, and John and I were particularly close."
That was 1968, when the Vietnam War was going strong.
"Our commandant said at the time there were two kinds of Marines -- those in Vietnam and those going to Vietnam."
Both young lieutenants, Mike and John spent six months over there in the same command group while putting in for transfers to join infantry units.They got their wish -- John with the 3rd Marine Division and Mike with the 1st Marine Division.
"After we went our different ways, I never saw John again," Mike says. "We did stay in contact through letters, though."
John was up close to the Demilitarized Zone and Mike was near Da Nang. Both were seeing their share of action as platoon leaders.
"And then one day I was out on patrol and got the word over the radio that John had died in a mortar attack," Mike says. "One of the guys in my company knew we were buddies and thought I should know."
John had become another victim of that war on May 25, 1969."I think about him every day," Mike admits.
But for a while, Mike had enough on his mind trying to keep himself and his men under him alive.
"I did try to find out about his burial without any luck," he says.
John was an only child, his father had died and his mother had moved.
Even after Mike got out of the Marines, he couldn't find out anything about his old friend's resting place or what happened to his family."His wife Diane had a little girl named Dawn when we were in Vietnam," Mike says. "John did get to see his daughter once in Hawaii while he was on R&R (rest and relaxation leave)."
Then about 10 years ago, Mike's son, Mike Jr., was working in South Bend and did some research at the library for his dad. He discovered that John Abbott was buried out at St. Joseph Valley.
"So now we make sure to come over to his grave site every Memorial Day and on the Marine Corps' birthday -- Nov. 10," Mike says.
He wonders if anyone else visits John's grave -- and if his wife and daughter are still in the area.
He would really like to find them.Because for the first time in 40 years, his Officer Candidate School class (TBS5-68) is having a reunion in Washington, D.C., in May.
Of that class of 241 men, 12 died while serving their country. John Abbott, a natural leader, was one of them.
"We've tried to find John's daughter and widow with no success, and I never knew Diane's maiden name," says Mike whose e-mail address is bmfmichigancity@yahoo.com. "We would like to invite them to the reunion or at least establish some contact with them.
"At the same time, we don't want to open up old wounds either," he adds. "I know this can be a sensitive thing."
Mike takes a deep breath."I just want to make sure they know that John is not forgotten and still very much revered."
Ellie
He's searching for his old comrade's family
BILL MOOR
A couple of times a year -- often more -- Mike Fulkerson and his wife Barb drive over to Granger from their Michigan City home to visit an old friend.
His name is John Abbott, a young Marine officer who died in Vietnam a few months before his 24th birthday.
"I usually end up talking to him a little and cleaning up the area around his grave," Mike says.
He has been doing that for the last 10 years after he found out that John was buried in St. Joseph Valley Memorial Park off Cleveland Road.
"John was from Hammond, but I was told his wife was from Mishawaka and that's why he ended up here," Mike says.They had become fast friends -- going through their officers' training course together and shipping out to Vietnam in the same company.
"John was one of the first guys I met during our Marine indoctrination at Quantico," Mike says. "Our whole class developed a bond, and John and I were particularly close."
That was 1968, when the Vietnam War was going strong.
"Our commandant said at the time there were two kinds of Marines -- those in Vietnam and those going to Vietnam."
Both young lieutenants, Mike and John spent six months over there in the same command group while putting in for transfers to join infantry units.They got their wish -- John with the 3rd Marine Division and Mike with the 1st Marine Division.
"After we went our different ways, I never saw John again," Mike says. "We did stay in contact through letters, though."
John was up close to the Demilitarized Zone and Mike was near Da Nang. Both were seeing their share of action as platoon leaders.
"And then one day I was out on patrol and got the word over the radio that John had died in a mortar attack," Mike says. "One of the guys in my company knew we were buddies and thought I should know."
John had become another victim of that war on May 25, 1969."I think about him every day," Mike admits.
But for a while, Mike had enough on his mind trying to keep himself and his men under him alive.
"I did try to find out about his burial without any luck," he says.
John was an only child, his father had died and his mother had moved.
Even after Mike got out of the Marines, he couldn't find out anything about his old friend's resting place or what happened to his family."His wife Diane had a little girl named Dawn when we were in Vietnam," Mike says. "John did get to see his daughter once in Hawaii while he was on R&R (rest and relaxation leave)."
Then about 10 years ago, Mike's son, Mike Jr., was working in South Bend and did some research at the library for his dad. He discovered that John Abbott was buried out at St. Joseph Valley.
"So now we make sure to come over to his grave site every Memorial Day and on the Marine Corps' birthday -- Nov. 10," Mike says.
He wonders if anyone else visits John's grave -- and if his wife and daughter are still in the area.
He would really like to find them.Because for the first time in 40 years, his Officer Candidate School class (TBS5-68) is having a reunion in Washington, D.C., in May.
Of that class of 241 men, 12 died while serving their country. John Abbott, a natural leader, was one of them.
"We've tried to find John's daughter and widow with no success, and I never knew Diane's maiden name," says Mike whose e-mail address is bmfmichigancity@yahoo.com. "We would like to invite them to the reunion or at least establish some contact with them.
"At the same time, we don't want to open up old wounds either," he adds. "I know this can be a sensitive thing."
Mike takes a deep breath."I just want to make sure they know that John is not forgotten and still very much revered."
Ellie