Danny’s own words (extracted from his letter to his Congressman, see below)

“When I was wounded, I was hit in eight different places. I’ve got a lot of ugly scars. I don’t mind getting wounded but as of yet (Letter dated 26 October 1968), I have never received a Purple Heart medal. I was sent to fight a war that I knew very little about. Most of us in the fighting called it a political war. If a Dignitary or Officer asked us we were supposed to say we were fighting to keep Communist aggression out of South Vietnam. But from the first time a round is fired at you, it becomes a personal war. From that time on, it’s kill or be killed. You don’t care about the reasons. Thirteen months is a long time to stay alive, considering every day somebody tries to kill you. Then after a while, you don’t even care anymore. A man gets tired of being scared all the time, so he gets careless and careless people get killed. A lot of great guys get it that way. They figured if the people at home don’t care, then why should they? We heard all of the good news at home; race riots, demonstrations against the war and the soldiers who fight in it; soldiers who were veterans being beat up and sometimes killed. Some guys were even scared to go home. The whole time I was in Viet Nam, I couldn’t figure out what we were supposed to be doing. We’d fight the enemy for possession of a hill or a piece of land, lose up to 50% Casualties, or some more, and then two weeks later after we secure this hill, we just walk off and go somewhere else to take another hill or area. The enemy didn’t waste no time. When we leave a hill, they just go back and resume what they were doing to begin with. I guess it’s just a war of statistics. Whenever kills the most of the opposition in a certain amount of time wins. I’m very sorry Sir for taking up your time with my opinion of the war. I sometimes forget myself on that subject. It’s something I’ll never forget or figure out I guess.”

Things about Danny you may not know or remember…

Attended St. James Catholic School from 1951 through 1960;
Highland Junior High School 1960-1961;
Ahrens Trade High School 1961-1962;
Southern High School 1963, and
Received his GED in the Marine Corps.
Worked at the Big Springs Golf Course (across from Bowman Field in Louisville KY from 1958-1963 and Tri-City Industrial Park on Grade Lane (where Dad worked) in 1963
Served in the U.S. Navy Reserve from 23 October 1963 through 2 December 1964
Joined the 1st Recruiting Training Battalion Marine Corp Depot on 6 December 1964. Embarked on a train from Louisville KY to Atlanta Georgia (he got Pullman berths) and then had to travel from Atlanta GA to Paris Island, South Carolina via Greyhound Bus (9 hour trip).
Embarked to Viet Nam on the US Navy Ship (USNS) ELTINGE from San Diego California and arrived at Da Nang Republic of Vietnam (RVN) on 29 December 1966.
Embarked 29 December 1966 via a troop carrying helicopter from Da Nang to An Hoa Air Base RVN where he joined up with his Marine Division.
Served in the RVN from 30 December 1966 through 12 July 1967
Served in the following Marine Corps Operations:

LINCOLN (Quan Duc Duc Province RVN, 5-9 January 1967);

TUSCALOOSA (Duy Xuyen District Quan Nam, 24-28 January 1967);

INDEPENDENCE (Quan Duc Duc and Quan Diloc Districts Quan Nam Province 1-8 February 1967)

LENOKE (Duc Duc District Quan Nam Province 26-28 February 1967;)

NEW CASTLE (Duc Duc District Quan Nam Province 22-25 March 1967);

UNION (Thiang Binh District Quang Tin Province 2-12 May 1967);

UNION II (Thiang Binh District Quang Tin Province 22 May through 4 June 1967):

ARIZONA (Quang Nam Province 14-18 June 1967);

CALHOUN (Quang Nam Province 25-29 June 1967)
Wounded in battle on 3 July 1967 in the Quang Nam Province RVN, picked up by the US Marines on patrol on 5 July 1967. He suffered a fragmentation wound to the right thigh, neck, Mandible, and abdomen from a land mine, plus 2 bullet wounds to the neck and abdomen. Mom and Dad plus his former wife, Mary Louella received telegrams from the US Marine Corps telling them Danny was now in Da Nang Air Base RVN.
Airlifted on a hospital aircraft on 11 July 1967 from Da Nang RVN and arrived at Tachikawa Air Base Japan on the same day for transport to the US Naval Hospital in Yokosuka Japan
Danny had to write his Congressman, the Honorable William O. Cowger (U.S. House of Representatives from Kentucky's 3rd district; In office January 3, 1967 – January 3, 1971 and former Louisville KY Mayor) on 26 October 1968 to request a Purple Heart he earned during his last battle. Mr. Cowger got the US Marine Corps to issue Danny’s Purple Heart on 8 November 1968.

July 4, 2017 marks the 50th Anniversary of the weekend that Danny got wounded in Viet Nam. Just think about that for a moment. It wasn’t easy being a 19-year old who faced death on almost a daily basis. Think of him warmly, raise a toast, and thank him for his service.

Danny Murphy (1946)