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Re: Seeking records about my brother's death in Vietnam
Mr. Donahue,
Could you provide some additional information pertaining to your brother, such as a name DOB, and place of birth.
Thanks,
Elliot Schneider
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Re: Seeking records about my brother's death in Vietnam
My brother's name is L/CPL Christopher Charles Donahue, born 05/24/50 in Boston, Mass. Died 05/19/68.
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Re: Seeking records about my brother's death in Vietnam
1 person found this helpfulMr. Donahue,
Here is some information from the NARA AAD Database. According to the following record he was with the 1st Marine Div, 1st BN, C BTRY.
Additionally, if you look at the Headstone Application they seemed to have said no to the Purple Heart, do you no the reason behind not putting that on the grave marker. He should have received this? Might want to find out if an investigation was conducted into this "accidental homicide". I know their were many cases of sabotage to vehicles, planes and other military vehicles during those times such as VC hiding satchel of explosive devices on board.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/60402031/christopher-c-donahue
Massachusetts, U.S., Death Index, 1901-1980
Last Name DONAHUE DONAHUE Given Names CHRISTOPHER C CHRISTOPHER C Social Security or Service Number 2422762 2422762 Date of Birth 19500524 05/24/1950 Service M Marine Corps Component R Regular Rank LCPL Lance Corporal Grade and posthumous promotion E3 E3 Service Occupation 3531 Motor Vehicle Operator (USMC) Actual Date of Casualty 19690519 05/19/1969 Actual Date of Death 19690519 05/19/1969 Tour Date 681111 11/11/1968 Posthumous decoration Casualty Type C1 Non-Hostile, Died of Other Causes Reason T Accidental Homicide Air no Air 7 Ground Casualty Body Recovered --- Undefined Code Date Body Recovered ----- Invalid Date Country VS South Vietnam Province 03 Quang Nam Casualty Location Major command, eg division or brigade 1st Mar Div 1st Mar Div Company/battery/troop or similar level unit C Btry C Btry Battalion or similar level unit 1st Bn 1st Bn Regiment, ROAD 11th Marines 11th Marines Air Wing Air Group Squadron Task Force Task Group Ship Unparsed Unit Home of Record City QUINCY QUINCY Home of Record State Code MA Massachusetts Notes Panel 24W 24W Line 053 53 Field Title Value Meaning MILITARY SERVICE M USMC [United States Marine Corps] COUNTRY OF CASUALTY VS Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) TYPE OF CASUALTY C1 Non-Hostile - Died of Other Causes REFERENCE NUMBER 1269 1269 NAME DONAHUE CHRISTOPHER C DONAHUE CHRISTOPHER C DATE RECORD PROCESSED 6905 6905 SOCIAL SECURITY OR SERVICE # 2422762 2422762 MILITARY GRADE LCPL LANCE CORPORAL PAY GRADE E3 PRIVATE FIRST CLASS (U.S. ARMY) or AIRMAN FIRST CLASS (U.S. AIR FORCE) or LANCE CORPORAL (U.S. MARINE CORPS) or GRADE/RATE ABBREVIATIONS WITH FIRST COLUMN: A,C,D,F,H,S,or T; SECOND COLUMN: A; THIRD AND FOURTH COLUMNS: BLANK (U.S. NAVY, U.S. COAST GUARD) DATE OF DEATH or DATE DECLARED DEAD (MM/DD/YYYY) 05/19/69 05/19/1969 HOME OF RECORD CITY QUINCY QUINCY HOME OF RECORD STATE CODE 22 Massachusetts SERVICE OCCUPATIONAL CODE 3531 Motor Vehicle Operator (USMC) DATE OF BIRTH (MM/DD/YYYY) 05/24/50 05/24/1950 REASON T Accidental Homicide AIRCRAFT OR NOT AIRCRAFT 7 Ground Casualty RACE C Caucasian RELIGION CODE 62 Roman Catholic LENGTH OF SERVICE 01 1 MARITAL STATUS S Single (Spouse Not Listed) SEX M Male CITIZEN CODE 1 U.S. POSTHUMOUS PROMOTION 0 Not Posthumously Promoted DATE TOUR IN SOUTHEAST ASIA BEGAN (MM/DD/YYYY) 681111 11/11/1968 LAST RECORD CODE 1 Final Record BODY RECOVERED OR NOT * Body Recovered AGE 18 18 COMPONENT R Regular (RA, USN, USAF, USMC, USCG) COMMENTS TYPE PROVINCE CODE 03 Military Region 1 - Quang Nam CORPCD 01 01 -
Re: Seeking records about my brother's death in Vietnam
Thank you for your response. Where would I find the casualty report investigation information? They must have held a courts-martial or military investigation. Thanks
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Re: Seeking records about my brother's death in Vietnam
2 people found this helpfulMr. Donahue,
Good morning I'm working on making contact with the Command Office to see if they have any records at the Marine Corps level. I did receive a message this morning from someone who transferred from Lima Company to Charlie Company before your brothers incident. Here is what the individual knows about the incident. He said your brother even though he was a motor transportation he was acting as a rifleman on May 19th 1969 they were operating outside the wire that day and were receiving numerous enemy rounds and rounding up VC in that area for detainment. The incident occurred later in the day he said in a mess hall. Apparently, a fellow Marine not in Donahues unit that was also eating in the mess hall had accidently discharged his M-16 in the mess hall. Unfortunately, this accidental discharge/projectile from the individuals M-16 hit your brother while he was in the mess hall. This is why the Defense Casualty Report that I sent you stated that his death was "Accidental Homicide" from no hostile weapon. So according to awards branch because he was not hit from enemy fire he would not receive the purple heart according to the Marine Corps awards branch.
Question" Have you or your family members tried requesting any of his military/medical records over the years?
Thanks,
Elliot Schneider
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Re: Seeking records about my brother's death in Vietnam
Mr. Donahue,
I saw on a separate site that state his type of casualty as "DAI" Here is what the Marine Corps says the casualty stands for, Death from Accidental Injuries (DAI): Includes all nonbattle/nonhostile deaths from accidents such as explosions, fires, drowning, disasters, vehicle aircraft and misuse of medicine (other than willful misuse of medicine).
Casualty Codes:
1st BN 11th Marines Logs for May 1st-31st 1969
https://www.vietnam.ttu.edu/reports/images.php?img=/images/1201/1201058026.pdf
https://www.vietnam.ttu.edu/reports/images.php?img=/images/1201/1201057239.pdf
https://www.vietnam.ttu.edu/reports/images.php?img=/images/1201/1201016001.pdf
https://www.vietnam.ttu.edu/reports/images.php?img=/images/1201/1201019007.pdf
Hope this helps,
Elliot Schneider
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Re: Seeking records about my brother's death in Vietnam
Holly Rivet
Jan 5, 2021 10:35 AM
Dear Mr. Donahue,
Thank you for posting your request on History Hub!
We searched NARA’s Access to Archival Databases (AAD) and located the Records with Unit Information on Military Personnel Who Died During the Vietnam War database in the Richard Coffelt, Richard Arnold, and David Argabright Collection (COFF) that includes a file pertaining to Christopher C. Donahue. Additionally, there are three other series in the Records of the Office of the Secretary of Defense (Record Group 330) in AAD that include records for Christopher C. Donahue.
Navy and Marine Corps casualty records from 1940-1989 are in the custody of the National Archives at St. Louis (RL-SL). For access to these records, please contact RL-SL via email at stl.archives@nara.gov.
If there was a courts-martial based on the casualty or accident reports, we searched the National Archives Catalog and located Navy General Courts-Martial Records, 1951 - 1976
in the Records of the Office of the Judge Advocate General (Navy) (Record Group 125) that are in the custody of the National Archives at St. Louis (RL-SL). For access to these records, please contact RL-SL via email at stl.archives@nara.gov. These records include Marine Corps GCMs as well.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and pursuant to guidance received from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), NARA has adjusted its normal operations to balance the need of completing its mission-critical work while also adhering to the recommended social distancing for the safety of NARA staff. As a result of this re-prioritization of activities, you may experience a delay in receiving an initial acknowledgement as well as a substantive response to your reference request from RL-SL. We apologize for this inconvenience and appreciate your understanding and patience.
U.S. Navy and Marine Corps accident reports for this time period are in the custody of the Commander, Naval Safety Center, Code 055, 375A Street, Norfolk, VA 23511. To request these records, contact their FOIA staff via email at safe.foia@navy.mil. Please provide as much information as possible about the incident.
We hope this information is helpful.
Sincerely,
Holly Rivet
