Scope and Contents

Less than a quarter of a linear foot of military documents concerning William B. McCormick's duty as a military escort for the remains of his best friend, John E. Nelson, who was killed in action while serving with Company C, 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry, 25th Infantry Division in Vietnam on 13 April 1968. Also included in the collection is a copy of an article McCormick wrote in the October 2009 issue of 'Vietnam' about his experience serving as a military escort for Nelson's remains.

Biographical / Historical

John E. Nelson served in Vietnam with Company C, 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry, 25th Infantry Division and was killed in action on 13 April 1968. William B. McCormick, who was Nelson's best friend, was serving in the United States Army in Huntsville, Alabama at the time of Nelson's death. Nelson's family then requested that McCormick serve as the military escort for Nelson's remains. William B. McCormick was born in Santa Monica California in 1947. He was drafted to the U. S. Army in Oct 1967. McCormick served one year in Vietnam of his two years and ten months military service in the US Army. While stationed at Cam Ranh By in Vietnam, as a Specialist 4th Class (E-4) and later Promoted to Sergeant (E-5), he served with the 174th Ordinance Detachment Vietnam and 191st Ordinance Battalion Vietnam. McCormick was discharged as a Sergeant (E-5) in 1970.