Julius Donald Pritchett

U.S. Marine Gunnery Sergeant Julius Donald Pritchett died in a vehicle crash on May 28, 1968 in Quang Tri, Vietnam while on active duty during the Vietnam War.  He was 33 years old.

Julius Donald Pritchett was born in Griffin, Georgia on February 1, 1935 the son of Donald Lee Pritchett and Lura Mae Jinks Pritchett.  He was married to Shirley Pritchett and had four children.

GYSgt Pritchett entered active duty with the U.S. Marine Corps in 1957. He completed basic training at Parris Island, South Carolina and, after being stationed at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, returned to Parris Island as a drill instructor in 1960.

Pritchett was deployed to Vietnam and arrived at Da Nang in 1967 serving with the 3rd  Bridge Company, 7th  Engineer Battalion, 1st  Division at Dong Ha near the Demilitarized Zone between South and North Vietnam. 

During 1967 the battalion constructed an M-4 aluminum pontoon bridge spanning 1,478 feet over the Da Nang River, the longest ever built and constructed non-standard bridge and pile bent bridges as well as the maintaining and upgrading of over 120km of roads.  

GYSgt Pritchett died on May 28, 1968 as a result of injuries he received from a collision of his radio jeep and a heavy construction truck.

U.S. Marine Gunnery Sergeant Julius Donald Pritchett is buried in Sunset Memorial Garden in Henderson, Vance County, North Carolina. His name is inscribed on panel 64W, line 015 of the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington D.C.

Last edited: 8 June 2026