The 35th Infantry Regiment Association salutes our fallen brother, 2LT Michael Thomas Glynne, who died in the service of his country on May 28th, 1966 in Pleiku Province, Vietnam. The cause of death was listed as Small Arms/AW. At the time of his death Michael was 22 years of age. He was from New York, New York. Michael is honored on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial at Panel 07E, Line 113.
The decorations earned by 2LT Michael Thomas Glynne include: the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Parachute Badge, the Bronze Star with V, the Purple Heart, the Air Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, the Vietnam Campaign Medal and the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm Unit Citation.
Michael is buried in Laurel Hill Cemetery, Thomasville, GA.
(From His Sister Linda)
Dearest Michael,
I hope that you are peace with the God you worshipped so faithfully during your life. Rereading your many letters has helped me to accept your role as God's servant in heaven rather than on earth. It is hard for me to look back on your life and picture you as the soldier whose job it was to hunt and kill the enemy. Instead, I see you as the loving brother who never neglected his little sister no matter where you were or what you were doing.
As your sister, I see you as the adventurous Boy Scout who always managed to bring home something new after every expedition; whether it was an Indian arrowhead or a case of poison ivy. Who could forget the eager fisherman at camp who put his prize catch into the camp refrigerator where it tainted the other foods stored there?
I see another Michael, the one who always studied hard, ignoring his limitations, extending his reach beyond his grasp. Your academic reports from The Hill and from West Point were reflections of your hard work and of your dedication to learning. But perhaps the greatest tribute to your study was the knowledge you gained - not for the marks you would make, but for the sake of knowledge itself.
You began a new phase in your education in August of 1965 at Fort Benning. There, in the Ranger course, you wee taught to synthesize academic knowledge, your limited experience, and common sense into an overall ability to fight and stay alive in a hostile environment. You worked hard at Benning and you graduated confident in the knowledge that you were prepared for the future. Your future, five months in Vietnam with the 35th Infantry, although overshadowed by suffering, was illuminating. You wrote home, telling us the tragic inevitabilities of war that you had not fully anticipated, but reminding us that you were firmly committed to the justice of your and our country's mission. There was some comfort, at the time of your death, in recalling how strongly you believed in the cause you fought and died for.
Although you never learned to play a musical instrument, you were always musically inclined. I can remember that your voice contributed a calm and beautiful tone to the choirs and glee clubs you sang for. How can I express the pride I always felt when I heard you sing in the church on Sunday's and as I watched the people around you turn and look at you with admiration? You seem to sing with your heart as well as your voice.
You were always the great traveler, roaming the world, searching and adding to your fund of knowledge. You brought back so many interesting stories of the new friends you met and the experiences you shared with them. We at home still feel the impact of your desire to erase the "ugly American" image aboard in the letters that come for you from places I never knew existed.
But your friends were not all from foreign lands. There are those here at home who keep your memory alive and often speak fondly of you. Many of them have contributed to a memorial fund in your name at The Hill School; many of our neighbors continue to pray for you.
There are also many tangible things to remind us of you. Tributes to your bravery and devotion are represented by the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star medals we proudly display on our bookshelves at home. An acknowledgement of your scholarly achievement is represented in the family history by the Herman Beukema Award which you received at graduation. Surrounding it are the books you won as prizes for scholarship throughout your school years. All attest to the learning you loved so much.
This ends my humble tribute to the brother I loved. Words can never fully describe the kind of man and brother you were. Mother and father send their love as do all the family. In all our prayers is the fervent wish that you have found the peace you so richly deserve.
MICHAEL THOMAS GLYNNE 18 March 1944-28 May 1966 USMA 1965
He and my brother, Tom were friends---we had grandmothers in Thomasville, GA,---which is were Tom and Mike met and where Mike is buried in Laurel Hill Cemetery.
I only recall meeting Mike once for about 10 minutes in the summer of 1962 when he came through New Orleans.
Over the years he has risen unbidden from that moment; I have often pondered why. After September 11th, he came to haunt me and I began a web search and as well as an internal search in order to answer that question.
My only memory of Mike is his lounging against our kitchen table, dressed in his "India" uniform, and laughing about his experience the night before with a blind date in the French Quarter. The joke was his date had decided that she wanted a watermelon, and Mike, being in uniform, could not carry anything. Therefore, his solution was to hire a street person for $2 to carry the watermelon and follow them around all night.
I think the reason this made me remember him so, besides the great visual, is the integrity and honor that it signifies. No one would know if he was out of uniform, or had carried something except him. That sense of personal values does not seem to exist to day. He brought honor on himself, West Point and his country.
In searching the Web and with the help of West Point, I found a few facts:
His death is recorded in the book, "Battles in the Monsoon" by S. L. A. Marshall (which is taught at West Point) pp. 259-268 as LZ 10 Alpha, 28-29 May 1966. Mike was the unknown platoon leader killed. See http://www.geocities.com/djs35th/10a/kia.htm (35th Infantry Regiment) Mike was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star, and Purple Heart; his Unit received a Presidential Citation.
Mike had arrived in Vietnam in 6 January 1966, and had just celebrated his 22nd birthday. He was paid $294.60 a month.
He was from NYC and had gone to the Hill School in PA before his appointment to West Point. He graduated 66/596 in his class. He was the 2nd member of the class of 1965 to die in Vietnam. He was a track star, a lover of music, a member of the choir, and a fluent speaker of Russian. He had a sister Linda who loved him very much.
Vereen@bellsouth.net February 14, 2002
(The following is taken from the Class of 1965 West Point Yearbook. Mike graduated 66/596 in very steep competition)
"Attending and graduating from West Point has completed one of Mike's many goals. Rather than having three sources of hazing (which is typical), he had only one---the T.D. The Academic Department especially presented no problems for Mike, (as many well coached goats will testify.) As for P.E., not many other cadets would climb out of the rack before reveille and lap the Plain. The sky is the limit for this man's capabilities."
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