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Pfc. Douglas R. Colbert
(July 5, 1945-February 16, 1967)
The Vietnam war last week claimed the life of a Norwood man, Pfc. DouglasR. Colbert, 21, of Route 1, Norwood, who was killed in the Pleiku area by an enemy grenade. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Donald Colbert, Dailey Ridge Road, Norwood, received the tragic news Saturday morning from officers of the Clarkson R.O.T.C. unit that their son had been struck by sharpnel from an exploding enemy grenade and killed while participating in operation Sam Houston near the Cambodian border in the Pleiku area. Pfc. Colbert was born in Norwood July 5, 1945, the son of Donald J. and Marjorie Daggett Colbert. He attended Norwood-Norfolk Central School and graduated in 1964. Following graduation, he was employed as a mechanic in Norwood and later at Murphy's Gas Station, in Potsdam. He enlisted in the Army in May 1963, and was sent to Fort Dix, N.J. for basic training. He then was trained for eight weeks in jungle warfare at Fort Polk, La. He visited his parents while on leave in July and September of last year. In October, he was shipped to Vietnam. For a short while, he was stationed near Saigon, and then transferred to Pleiku, in the central Vietnamese highlands, where he was a member of A Company, Second Brigade, 4th Infantry. Pfc. Colbert is survived by his parents; four brothers, Larry, Jerry, and David Colbert of Norwood, and A3/c Donald Colbert, who is stationed at Shepard Air Force Base, Tex.; and his maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Loren Daggett, Norwood. Donald is expected to arrive in Norwood this week on leave. His body is being sent to the Buck's Funeral Home, Norwood, where the funeral services will be conducted at a time to be announced by the Rev. Harry G. Myers, pastor of the Norwood United Church of Christ, officiating.
(Included in this article is a picture of Pfc. Colbert and also a picture of his mother and father receiving the posthumous award of the Bronze Star) Beneath this picture is the following:
(POSTHUMOUS AWARD--Mrs. Donald J. Colbert, Norwood, receives the Bronze Star award for her son, Douglas, who was killed in Vietnam in February. Capt. Kenneth A. Miller of the Clarkson College Military Science department, made the award Monday afternoon. The official announcement of the award from the Department of the Army reads:... "While serving as assistant machine gunner during a search and destroy mission in the thick jungle west of Pleiku (and) although completely surrounded by enemy troops, Pvt. Colbert remained in his position and continued to give supporting fire while wounded were being evacuated... Pvt. Colbert's actions were instrumental in saving the lives of wounded fellow soldiers. His outstanding display of courage... reflects great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army."
(SLCHA Scrapbook; Newspaper Unknown)
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