Austin Michael Gaughan

The database page for Austin Michael Gaughan

05 Sep 2001 "To live in the hearts we leave behind, is never to have died." (Thomas Campbell, circa 1888) Killed during the seige of Khe Sahn. Just a few kind words about a young Marine from Philly. I briefly served with Austin at Dong Ha in Quang Tri province shortly before his death. It's been 33 years since but I still remember his good-natured attitude about the worse situations. May God rest his soul. Semper Fi! From his former squad leader Jimmy Jetton 2981 County Rd 214, Hillsboro, AL 35643 fotojet@aol.com

07 Sep 2002 The photo and following article is taken from The Philadelphia Daily News, special supplement entitled 'SIX HUNDRED AND THIRTY,' October 26, 1987. The special supplement was issued in conjunction with the dedication of the Philadelphia Viet Nam Memorial. "Aust" Gaughan wanted to join the Marine Corps right out of West Catholic High School in 1966, but his father persuaded him to think about it for a year. Over the next year, he attended Pierce Junior College, clerked at First Pennsylvania Banking and Trust Co., and made regular Saturday morning visits to a Marine recruiting station. Gaughan remained committed to the Marines, and enlisted in July 1967. He trained as a combat engineer and was sent to Viet Nam in January 1968. "I'll be a Marine if it kills me," he wrote home from the war. Not wanting to alarm his parents, he told them that he liked his duty post with Company A of the 3rd Shore Patrol (sic) Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, at Khe Sanh, Quang Tri Province, and was getting plenty of sleep. After his parents saw a Life magazine article that painted a far grimmer picture of Khe Sanh, Gaughan admitted that life was rough there. The 19-year-old private first class died on March 15, 1968, in the Station Hospital in Da Nang, of wounds sustained in Khe Sanh the previous day. He was survived by his parents." SEMPER FIDELIS, MARINE! From a native Philadelphian, Marine, and West Catholic Burr Jim McIlhenney christianamacks@earthlink.net

26 Nov 2002 God bless you, Austin. We went through 12 years of school together and you will be in my prayers forever. You were always smiling and never had a bad word for anyone. You are truly missed. Lou Frank ssgtlou755@aol.com

28 Oct 2005 I did a report on Austin for my Vietnam Class at school. We had to research a Vietnam soldier killed in the war who was from Philadelphia. He was a very interesting person to research. There was a lot of information about him which helped a lot. I feel as though I really know him as a friend, even though I've never met him. I decided to do a report on him because he died very young. He was only a year older than me when he died. I put a flag on the section of wall in Philadelphia where his name is written. On October 30, 2005, my Vietnam class will be going to the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington D.C. I look forward to finding his name on the Wall. I would like his family and friends to know that Austin means a lot to me and I will always remember him throughout my life. I made a promise with Austin when I was at the wall in Philadelphia, I promised him that any time I was in D.C. or near the wall in Philadelphia during the rest of my life, I would stop over and say "Hi" or something like that. From an internet research "friend", Christopher 2466 Bergey Road, Harleysville, Pa 19438 skiinstructorchris@gmail.com

The point-of-contact for this memorial is former squad leader, Jimmy Jetton 2981 County Rd 214, Hillsboro, AL 35643 fotojet@aol.com 05 Sep 2001

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With all respect
Jim Schueckler, former CW2, US Army
Ken Davis, Commander, United States Navy (Ret)
Last updated 11/19/2005