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MAMARONECK, N.Y. Mamaroneck High School will hold a memorial ceremony April 25 for one of its graduates who was killed while serving his country during the Vietnam War.
David Edward Porterfield, who graduated from Mamaroneck High in 1964, posthumously received a Silver Star, which is the third-highest U.S. combat-only award, according to the Military Times.
On July 18, 1966, in Quang Tri Province, South Vietnam, "Hospitalman Porterfield, braving the heavy fire, left his position of relative safety to administer first aid" to wounded members of his unit, his Silver Star citation says. Displaying "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action ... he himself was mortally wounded but continued to render medical assistance to others until he succumbed to his own wounds."
Porterfield was a corpsman with Company K, 3rd Battalion, 4th Regiment, 3rd Marine Division. During Operation HASTINGS in July 1966, two of his company's platoons took on enemy fire from automatic weapons, small arms and mortars. Several Marines in the first squad of the first platoon were killed. But, Porterfield's first aid to the wounded "undoubtedly saved several lives," his Silver Star citation says.
The memorial service at 3:15 p.m. outside the high school cafe on the main concourse will honor the sacrifices of Porterfield and other Mamaroneck and Larchmont men who died serving their country in Vietnam.
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