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Gary Steven Caywood

Gary Caywood
Born 15 Oct 1946, Spokane, Spokane Co, WA (HOR: Spokane)
Died 1 May 1968, Quan Tri Province, South Vietnam
Service Branch Navy
Rank HM3
Rating or Job Hospital Corpsman
Unit Attached to Marines
:H&S Co, 2nd BN, 4th Regt, 3rd MAR DIV, III MAF
Campaign Viet Nam
Military Citations Purple Heart
Honors  
Family Father: Hal David Caywood was born on April 17, 1903, in Santa Barbara, CA. He died on December 11, 1978, in Santa Barbara, CA, at 75, and was buried in Chico, CA.

Mother: Velma Alverta Harris was born on July 25, 1905, in Chico, CA. She died on June 3, 1999, in Chico, at 93, and was buried there.

Children:
Hal Dee Caywood was born on November 22, 1932, in Santa Barbara, CA. He was married on November 30, 1958, in Spokane, WA. He died on May 26, 2010, at the age of 77.
Lynda
Bruce
Notes

HM3 Gary S. Caywood

Oct. 15, 1946 - May 1, 1968

Chico

Gary Caywood grew up in a Navy family, and was raised all over the country. He graduated from high school in Spokane, Wash. After his graduation, his parents moved to Chico. He enlisted in the Navy in February 1967.

Caywood planned to be a physical therapist after his Navy stint, so applied for hospital corpsman school. After boot camp he trained at Balboa Hospital in San Diego.

The Navy provides medical care for the Marine Corps, and enlisted hospital corpsmen act as battlefield medics. So in mid-April 1968 Gary Caywood was shipped to Vietnam with a company of Marines.

He lasted just 16 days. On May I, 1968 in Quang Tri Province. Caywood’s unit was shelled with mortars and he suffered a direct hit.

He is buried in Chico.

Chico News & Review, May 26, 1988

9204243 H3C USN (MOS: Hospital Corpsman)

Casualty Details: Killed by artillery, rocket, or mortar fire

Listed on the Vietnam Memorial Wall, Washington, D.C. Panel 53E, Line 28 Listed on the Gold Star Memorial Glen Oaks Memorial Park
Burial: Glen Oaks Memorial Park, Garden of Peace Lot 566, Space 3
Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon

 

Gary S. Caywood, 21, Son of Mr. and Mrs. Hal D. Caywood, of Chico CA, and a 1966 graduate of North Central High School, in Spokane WA, was a Naval Hospital Corpsman, 3rd Class assigned to the Headquarters and Service Company, 4th “Oldest and the Proudest"/"China Marines" Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, 3rd "Fighting Third “Amphibious Marine Force, at the time he was killed. He had been in Vietnam 15 days when he died of shrapnel wounds sustained from enemy mortars during "Operation Fortress Attack" in Quang Tri Province.

 

Sources

National Archives

Chico News & Review

Mementos