LCPL RICK DUANE DEEDS
U.S. MARINE CORPS
July 30, 1948 – January 20, 1968
KILLED IN ACTION | VIETNAM WAR
BASIC INFORMATION
Name: Rick Duane Deeds
Rank: Lance Corporal (LCpl)
Branch: United States Marine Corps
Unit: B Company, 1st Amphibian Tractor Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, III MAF
Home of Record: Carleton, Michigan
Date of Birth: July 30, 1948
Date of Death: January 20, 1968
Age: 19
Casualty Area: Cua Viet River / My Loc area, Quang Tri Province
Vietnam Veterans Memorial: Panel 34E, Line 85
HONORING HIS SERVICE
On January 20, 1968, Lance Corporal Rick Duane Deeds was killed in action while serving with the United States Marine Corps in the Republic of Vietnam. He was just 19 years old.
LCpl Deeds was part of I Corps. Operating along rivers, coastlines, and contested waterways, AmTrac Marines often carried infantry directly into hostile zones under fire.
On this day, during combat operations near the Cua Viet River, LCpl Deeds made the ultimate sacrifice while supporting his fellow Marines. His death occurred during a period of rapidly escalating enemy activity in Quang Tri Province, just days before the Tet Offensive would erupt across South Vietnam.
IN THEIR FOOTSTEPS
From Carleton, Michigan, to the battlefields of Vietnam, Rick Deeds represents a generation of young Americans who answered the call to serve in a distant war under unforgiving conditions. His courage, sacrifice, and commitment to his fellow Marines stand as a lasting reminder of the human cost of freedom.
His name is etched forever on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., where it stands as a silent roll call of honor.
LINKS AND SOURCES
Virtual Wall (Memorial Page):
https://www.virtualwall.org/dd/DeedsRD01a.htm
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund – Wall of Faces:
https://www.vvmf.org/Wall-of-Faces/30301/RICK-D-DEEDS/
mickyspano.com/
mickyspano.com/ honors a Veteran of the Day, every day, because remembrance should never depend on a calendar.
Today, we honor LCpl Rick Duane Deeds, United States Marine Corps, who gave his life in Vietnam on January 20, 1968.
If you served with LCpl Deeds, knew his family, or have photos or memories you would like to share, please reach out and help us preserve his legacy.
Visit: https://mickyspano.com/
“Honor the fallen. Support the living. Teach the next generation.”
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