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According to the communique reporting his death, he received "gunshotwounds in the chest from
hostile forces while on patrol duty in thevicinity of Chu Lai, Republic of Viet Nam." He had
been on duty inViet Nam for only 2 months.
As the first Coles County casualty of the
Viet Nam War, a memorial waserected in Peterson Park, Mattoon, consisting of a flag pole and
aboulder bearing a plaque. The memorial was dedicated during aceremony with addresses made
by two congressmen who said the Earl had"given his ultimate for the freedom we enjoy." There
were several
newspaper articles detailing those final events.
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