Tell me about the time you found out you're going to Vietnam up to the time you left for Vietnam.

I was born and raised in Kalamazoo, Mi. In a average middle income family of the 50's and 60's. My father served gallantly in WW II on the aircraft carrier USS Cabot. There is a chapter written about him in the book "First Mile Last Mile". I got my name Donald Glen from my father's cousin Donald Glen Coxon. He was a hero of the 82nd Airborne, killed in the invasion of Normandy. His death is written about in the book "Night Drop". My three brothers Bill, Jim and Joe Meier and I played baseball all summer and football in the fall. I was kind of a wild kid who quit High school at 17 because I couldn't follow any of the rules. At 18 I joined the Marine Corps. I can still remember the Marine recruiter saying to me " Son you are a High school dropout and you want to join for 2 years. Your going to be a grunt and you will go to Vietnam". I said to him " That's why I'm here". I did OK in Bootcamp and got a expert rifleman's badge. After ITR at Camp Pendleton I went to BITS as a 0331 "Machine-gunner". I remember the flight from Okinawa to Danang on a Boing 707. There were about 200 Marines aboard. 

Tell me something about your time in Vietnam.

After we landed we went to a big building where we got our orders. I was the only one sent to An Hoa. After 3 days at An Hoa I was given a M-60 Machinegun and put on a evening resupply chopper and joined Delta 1/5 in "The Arizona". I can remember getting off the chopper and seeing bush Marines for the first time. They were very dirty and they looked so old. It took me awhile to realize they were mostly teenagers like myself. I was taken to the Company Commander. He said " Welcome to Dying Delta I want you to know that only 3 Marines a year rotate home from this company. The rest go home wounded or in bodybags". I was then assigned to 2nd platoon. I was put with 2 other Marines to form a gun team. They were Larry Stein and Ernie Fournier. Their pictures are on page 135. Larry Stein is the Marine on the cover of Jim Webb's book " Fields of Fire". Picture on page 90. I stayed with them till the day I was wounded. I owe my life to the Marines of Delta that were there that day to help me. Some of them are on this website. Desi Fajardo, Larry Stein, Ernie Fournier, Bruce Williamson, Big Red and Lefty Leflar. Thanks Marines.


Tell me about you today, and how Vietnam has influenced what you do and how you live today..
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I have been married to Paula since 1978. She is a wonderful women. Very pretty and very intelligent. I'm very lucky to be married to her. We have 5 children Lisa, Michelle, Matthew, Jenna and Don who we call (Billy).
As you look at the Marines on this website please remember that most of them were only teenagers when they were in Vietnam. . They lived in the mud and went weeks without bathing. Lived in the rain and went days being soaking wet. They went on long patrols and night ambushes that lasted forever. They felt fear and loneliness that was almost unbearable. They suffered great hardships and performed great feats of courage. And we all know the undying pride we feel when we here the words "Semper Fidelis ". Which means " Always Faithful ". I am so proud to have my name listed with them for they truly are "America's Best".
And we all owe Q so very much for this website. It is the best site on the web. Thanks Q for you have brought much joy back into our lives. Men who have served in combat together have emotional ties that others will never understand. You have brought us back together again. And for that we owe so much.

Copyright 2014  Q Madp  PO Box 86888  Portland OR 97286-0888  www.OurWarHeroes.org