WISSLER-RICHARD

SWIFT  BOAT  CASUALTY

Richard Laverne Wissler Jr. was born on September 6, 1946, in Willow Street, Pennsylvania.  He graduated from high school in 1964, where he played soccer and baseball.  For a short time he worked for a printing company before enlisting in the Navy in 1965.  According to his mother, Wissler served aboard the USS HARWOOD but wanted the opportunity to serve in Vietnam aboard a “Swift Boat” (officially named a Patrol Craft, Fast or PCF).  Accordingly, he extended his enlistment, was sent to Naval Amphibious Base, Coronado, for PCF training and then assigned to PCF-27 on June 12, 1969.  On October 2, 1969, PCF-27 was patrolling in the Song Ong Doc River in South Vietnam when it suffered damage from an exploding claymore mine.  Unfortunately, Quartermaster Second Class Wissler was killed when struct by shrapnel from the exploding mine.  His body was returned home and he has been buried at the Willow Street United Church of Christ Cemetery in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.  His grave marker carries the inscription:  QM2 – US NAVY – VIETNAM – PURPLE HEART.

Submitted by CDR Roy A. Mosteller, USNR (Ret)