Date of Birth: 09/19/1947
Neighborhood: Hunting Park
High School:
Street: N. 7th Street
Branch of Service: Army
Rank: SP4
Date of Casualty: 05/13/1968
Province of Casualty: Gia Dinh
Philadelphia Memorial Panel: Panel 5
Panel Row: 10
Click on the memorial panel below for a printable photo of the serviceman on this page.
"He loved children and they loved him," Cashley's parents said after his death. At Fort Bragg, N.C. Cashley led a campaign to fix broken toys for needy children although he was still in basic training. In Vietnam, he played Santa Claus for hundreds of children. He gave $10 a week to support an orphan and distributed candy and clothing his parents had sent. He was a happy young man who laughed about everything. When his father had open-heart surgery and became unable to work, Cashley left high school to work days as a dishwasher and nights as a gas station attendant. Though he might have pleaded hardship, he wanted to serve his country, so in July 1967 he entered the Army. The rifleman was sent to Vietnam in February 1968 and assigned to Cornpany B of the 5th Battalion, 60th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division. Cashley died on May 13, 1968, at the age of 20. Much of his Army pay had gone toward his parents' mortgage, and he left his insurance for his younger brotber's musical education. The brother, a drummer, has graduated from the Philadelphia College of the Performing Arts. Cashley, a specialist four, was survived by his parents, three brothers and a sister.