The 35th Infantry Regiment Association salutes our fallen brother, , who died in the service of his country on , .
The decorations earned by include:
Donald was a member of the 40th Scout Dog Platoon working with C, 1/35th at the time of his death.He was killed by a sniper vicinity Bong Son.
Donald is buried in the Fellowship United Methodist Church Cemetery, Princeton,NC.
The funeral for Specialist 4 Donald Sherrill Sullivan of Route 2, Princeton, will be held at 3pm Thursday afternoon in Fellowship Methodist Church on Route 2, Princeton. The pastor, the Reverend Jack Williams, will officiate. Burial with full military honors will be conducted by a team from Fort Bragg. The body will be at Pittman-Long funeral home until it is taken to the church to lie in state for an hour prior to the service. The 22 year old soldier was killed in action January 29 by hostile sniper fire in Vietnam, where he had been on duty since August of last year. He ws a member of the 40th Scout Dog Patrol. He entered the military service in December of 1965 and received his basic training at Fort Jackson, SC. He was a 1965 graduate of Princeton High School. Surviving are his parents, Mr and Mrs Glenwood Sullivan of Route 2, Princeton; one sister, Miss Paulette Green Sullivan of the home; three brothers, Bobby Wayne, Steve Clyde, and Dennis Wade Sullivan, all threee of the home, and his paternal grandmother, Mrs Betty Sullivan of Goldsboro.
He was the son of Mr and Mrs Alston G Sullivan, Route #2, Princeton, North Carolina.
I would like to tell you a little about Donnie. We met at Fort Benning GA. We were both assigned to dog training school. Its a three month training school on how to handle scout dogs for the army. Donnie and I were both from North Carolina. So we hit it off pretty good right from the start. What time we werent training with the dogs Donnie and I would go down town and hit all the night spots. Yes we were looking for what every young single guy looked for girls. And Donnie and I found two nice looking girls at at one of the many night clubs they had in that town. We dated those two girls the whole time we were at Fort Benning. The girls said right from the start we will date you two guys be we are not going to become too attached cause as soon as you leave there will be two more guys to take your place.
Donnie and I both knew down inside where we were going, but we didnt talk about it too much. So we tried to have all the fun we could cause we knew that it would soon be over. And sure enough it was. I remember the day we were to get aboard two US Air Force C-141s jet cargo planes headed for Vietnam. Donnie came up to me and called me by my last name in the Army you were known by your last name he said Jarvis I said all my good byes at home if anything happens to me it will just kill my Mom. I said Sullivan dont even talk that way we both will be back home before you know it. So we boarded the plane and headed for Vietnam. We went over to Vietnam as the 40th infantry scout dog platoon. We were attached to the 25th infantry in Pleiku South Vietnam. Donnie and I were called out to go on patrol one January day. We flew out on a chopper and while we were standing around to see what platoon we would be assigned to Donnie came over to me and said Jarvis I just dont feel right about this I dont think Im coming back in from this one. I said Donnie dont even think that way think positive and you will be back. I went out with A platoon and Donnie went out with B platoon. As Donnie was walking away to join B platoon I said see you when we get back into base. He just looked at me and gave me a little smile without saying a word. Not knowing that would be the last time I would ever see him. The next day while I was on patrol with A platoon the LT came up to me and said we just had radio contact with B platoon he said they walked into an ambush and that Donnie had been hit in the chest with rifle fire. I ask him how is Donnie doing he said he was talking when they medivaced him out. So I thought every thing was going to be alright. I was worried to say the least. But I had to think positive. When I got back into base camp about a week later the first thing I did was find our LT and ask him how Donnie was. He said havent you heard Donnie died. I said no this is the first time I heard that. That was a sad day for me. I had just lost my good friend. I just couldnt help but think about his mom and how she must have taken his death. Knowing what Donnie had said to me. Donnie as long as someone has a memory of you, you will live on in out hearts. See you one day my good friend.
(From A High School Friend)
Donald and I were classmates at Princeton High School in Princeton, N.C. One of my favorite memories is that we would go to a designated smoking area beside the gym, smoke our cigarettes and match for pennies. That is a game of matching heads/tails and the winner takes his opponents Coin.
Donald and I were a school class apart from one another. I was
a senior and he was a junior. Donald was the type guy that you just had to like. He always greeted fellow students with a smile. Never recall hearing him complain. What a wonderful person!!!!
After high school I enlisted in the Marines and never saw Donald again. News of his death came as a shock to me and I think of him often.
On March 29, 2014, Vietnam Veterans Day, our local VVA chapter chartered a bus to travel to D.C. for the purpose of visiting the Wall and lay a wreath at the Tomb Of The Unknowns. I went to find Donalds name and leave a souvenir. That souvenir was a pack of cigarettes. It is my intention to visit his grave on his birthday and Veterans Day to place an American flag. I will also place a flag on his brothers grave as he was an Army veteran during that time in our history
Semper Fi
Sgt. Vernon Mclendon USMC 1961-1967.
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