Date of Birth: 07/12/1949
Neighborhood: Fishtown
High School: Mercy Vocational High School
Street: E. Albert Street
Branch of Service: Marine Corps
Rank: LCPL
Date of Casualty: 08/26/1968
Province of Casualty: Qng Tri
Philadelphia Memorial Panel: Panel 7
Panel Row: 18
Click on the memorial panel below for a printable photo of the serviceman on this page.
Both of. "Eddie" Day's parents had served in the Marine Corps during World War II. He considered becoming a baker and went to Mercy Vocational High School to study the trade, but decided the Marine Corps was his future. Day played sandlot baseball for the Visitation Saints and boxed at the Hennelly Boys Club before trying to enlist at the age of 16. He was turned down, but succeeded a year later in July 1966. Day trained as a rifleman and shipped out to Vietnam, where he joined Company L of the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Marine Division. The 19 year old lance corp died in Quang Tri on Aug. 26, 1968. He was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross. The day before he went away," his mother recalled "he made me sit on the sofa with him. He took my hand and said "mom I won't be coming back but promisethat you want have me lay me alone in a funeral parlor' I kept my promise and when his body came home, I slept next to his casket with my hand holding to flag" day was buried next to his father as he had requested. In addition to his mother, he was survived by two sisters.