Bryan Co., OK;  Military - Vietnam War Soldiers - Short Bios

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Trudy Marlow 
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SOURCE: Bryan County Newspaper Obituaries - Excerpts from the 
obits are available online in the Bryan County Archives.
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Vietnam Conflict/War		
		
McKeown, Francis "Mac" Xaviar	Air Force	Retired Air Force Nurse;  Prisoner of war; 
						served for 21 years	
Murray, Grover			Marines		Also, served in Korea as a recon leader. He 
						was presented the Silver Star for actions in 
						directing the rescue of Marines from a downed 
						helicopter near Chu Lai, Vietnam.  Lt. Murray 
						with the First Reconnaissance Battalion, First 	
						Marine division, was in charge of a platoon 
						which was dispersed in a helicopter landing zone 
						near Chu Lai with elements of an infantry platoon
						awaiting evacuation.  The helicopters landed and 
						were partially loaded when the landing zone came 
						under intense enemy automatic and semi-automatic 
						weapons fire.  Recognizing the danger to the 
						aircraft, Lt. Murray signaled the pilots to lift 
						off and directed the fire against the attacking 
						Viet Cong.  As the helicopters were departing 
						.50-caliber machine-gun fire ripped through the 
						top of one of the helicopters shearing off the 
						rear roto blade, causing the aircraft to crash 
						and burn.  Lt. Murray then crossed 75 meters of 
						open rice paddy and directed troops out of the 
						downed helicopter and into firing positions.  
						Realizing that the pilots wre still trapped in 
						the burning wreckage, he returned through the 
						intense small arms fire to the aircraft to free 
						the pilots.  Shortly, after the last man was 
						removed the aircraft exploded.  "When the enemey 
						fire was suppressed enough to allow additional 
						helicopters to land," the citation reads, "Lt. 
						Murray with resolute calmness and professional 
						skill, moved throughout the landing zone, 
						continually exposing himself in order to direct 
						and protect the loading of the last troops and 
						only at the last possible moment did he board an 
						aircraft." Retired from the U.S. Marine Corps.