THE WALL OF FACES

Eddystone Marine, 19, Is Killed After Only 2 Weeks in Vietnam

A Delaware county serviceman who had wanted to be a Marine since he was a younster was killed in action two weeks after his arrival in Vietnam.
Marine Pfc. Thomas F. Cummings, 19, of 934 Saville ave., Eddystone, died Friday of bullet wounds of the head and body.
The 1966 graduate of Chester High School was killed while on patrol near Quang Nam in northern area near the Demilitarized Zone. He was attached to the 1st Marine Division.
"He wanted to be a Marine all his life," said Pfc. Cummings' father, Francis, an employe at the Westinghouse plant in Lester. "I raised him that way."
The elder Cummings spoke without rancor. "The guy who killed him was probably about his age. They weren't mad at each other. One of our boys will probably get him. Whether it's right or wrong I don't know."
Pfc. Cummings enlisted in October, 1967. He left for Vietnam two weeks ago from Camp Pendleton, Calif. His brother, John, 21, returned safely from Vietnam in late February.
Besides his parents and brother, Pfc. Cummings is also survived by two sisters, Doris, 25, and Mrs. Francis DiGregorio, of University Park, Pa.

Semper Fidelis, Marine!

Tom's dad was my godfather and I can remember sitting on their front porch as a small child while Tom taught me the card game "Go Fish". Somehow he won all the time even though we were the same age.

I always told Tom he would be the godfather of my child when we grew up - he grew up too fast and went to fight - not my choice even though I always wanted to be a Marine with him.

I miss him to this day and have gone to the traveling wall 3 x's in different cities to visit with him.