Remembering my three classmates at Holy Cross College who died in Vietnam. - gwc
Mike Cunnion came to Holy Cross from Mt. St. Michael in Mt. Vernon where I had seen him as starting quarterback playing against my school, Brooklyn Prep. Mike had a great arm - better than Jack Lentz, our classmate who after being QB at the Cross went on to play cornerback for the Buffalo Bills.
Mike was a great guy but didn't hit the books. And Holy Cross cut you no slack for being a scholarship athlete. He flunked out and joined the Marines. On July 15, 1966 he and fourteen other men went down in flames in the helicopter pictured above.
Bob Donovan was a fine runner. In 1963 he came to Holy Cross from Syracuse on a track scholarship. But he neglected his studies, and flunked out. He was drafted, and as a PFC went to Vietnam on September 22, 1966. The facts on the virtual wall are spare:
Casualty Date: 11/09/1966
Age at Loss: 19
Location: Phu Yen Province, South Vietnam
Remains: Body recovered
Casualty Type: Hostile, died outright
Casualty Reason: Ground casualty
Casualty Detail: Gun or small arms fire
Mike Cunnion came to Holy Cross from Mt. St. Michael in Mt. Vernon where I had seen him as starting quarterback playing against my school, Brooklyn Prep. Mike had a great arm - better than Jack Lentz, our classmate who after being QB at the Cross went on to play cornerback for the Buffalo Bills.
Mike was a great guy but didn't hit the books. And Holy Cross cut you no slack for being a scholarship athlete. He flunked out and joined the Marines. On July 15, 1966 he and fourteen other men went down in flames in the helicopter pictured above.
Bob Donovan was a fine runner. In 1963 he came to Holy Cross from Syracuse on a track scholarship. But he neglected his studies, and flunked out. He was drafted, and as a PFC went to Vietnam on September 22, 1966. The facts on the virtual wall are spare:
| Incident Date: 11/09/1966 |
Age at Loss: 19
Location: Phu Yen Province, South Vietnam
Remains: Body recovered
Casualty Type: Hostile, died outright
Casualty Reason: Ground casualty
Casualty Detail: Gun or small arms fire
 |
| John B. Martin, II |
Jack Bernard Martin, II, Holy Cross '67 was in Navy ROTC - which paid his tuition. I had passed the test for Navy ROTC but failed the physical. I needed eyeglasses. But I don't want to be a pilot, I protested. Nevermind =we've got guys who can take your place. Jack was one of them. The details on the Vietnam Memorial "virtual wall" are:
| Location: | Offshore, North Vietnam |
| Remains: | Body not recovered |
| Casualty Type: | Non-hostile, died of other causes |
| Casualty Reason: | Fixed Wing - Pilot |
| Casualty Detail: | Air loss or crash at sea |
