Remembering Butch Markwell on his birthday; died saving his comrades from grenade

Today would be the 69th birthday of Specialist Fourth Class

Eugene L. "Butch" Markwell of Torrance, California, who was killed in action in Vietnam at age 22 on July 4, 1968. Butch was cut down by enemy fire while saving his comrades from a grenade attack, as described in his posthumous Silver Star citation:

“A numerically superior enemy force launched a massive mortar, rocket, and ground attack against Dau Tieng Base Camp. During the initial contact, Specialist Markwell left the relative safety of his position and moved to the beleaguered perimeter. While placing devastating fire on the Viet Cong, Specialist Markwell was painfully wounded by a grenade. Spotting the communist soldier preparing to throw another grenade inside his bunker, Specialist Markwell, with complete disregard for his own safety, exposing himself to the devastating enemy fire, climbed on top of the parapet and killed the insurgent before he fell mortally wounded.”

Butch's family lived near Chris Mortenson, now a noted ESPN commentator, who was a teenager at the time. Mortenson wrote this remembrance of the day Butch's mother learned of her son's death:

I'll never forget the day that a military service vehicle pulled up next door as I was shooting basketball in the driveway. Two men in uniform got out of the car and walked to the door of Butch's house. Butch's mom, known as ‘Bunny,’ opened the door and let the two men in. Shortly thereafter, I heard the most haunting scream and cry that I can't shake to this very day. 

“Even now, I must honestly reflect that my emotions did not connect with Butch's misfortune as much as it was for the pain of a mother whose heart had been torn apart by the loss of her only son. 

"May God bless that memory and every parent who has lost a son or daughter in serving our country”. 

Butch Markwell is buried at the Rose Hills Cemetery in Whittier, California.