Today, we honor the life and sacrifice of Private First Class Jerald Riley Towater, a brave U.S. Marine who gave his life in service to our country on this day in 1966 during the Vietnam War. He was just 21 years old.
A resident of Louisville, Kentucky, PFC Towater served with unwavering commitment as a Combat Engineer (MOS 1371) with C Company, 3rd Engineer Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Amphibious Force.
At the time of his death, PFC Towater was deployed in the Quang Nam Province of South Vietnam. His body was recovered, and his memory has been preserved with honor ever since.
Though the beginning of his tour in Vietnam is not recorded, PFC Towater’s service exemplified the courage and devotion of a Marine who upheld the values of honor, courage, and commitment to the very end.
PFC Towater’s service and sacrifice are permanently memorialized on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, at Panel 6E, Line 61, and here at the Kentucky Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
To learn more about PFC Towater and his service to our country, click here. To leave a tribute to him on the Wall of Faces, click here.
If you have any additional information, photos, or videos related to PFC Towater or any other Kentucky veteran who made the ultimate sacrifice during the Vietnam War, we kindly invite you to share them with us here.
