First Name: Frederic
Last Name: Marshall
Middle Initial: R
Date of Birth: 06/07/1944
Sex: Male
Martial Status: Not Sure
Number of Children: Yes
Home Town: Detroit, Michigan
Education Completed: Not Sure
Other Occupations:
Branch of Service: Army
Highest Rank: Pvt. 1st class
Serial Number: N/A
Platoon: N/A
Age at Start of Service: Over 21
Years of Service: 2
Combat Veteran: Yes
Time in Combat: Not Sure
Place of Combat: N/A
Awards:
Date of Suicide: 03/2002
Suicide Method: gunshot wound to the head
Veteran’s Story: Fred saw intense combat in Chu Chi with many good buddieslives resulting in casualites. He has said that he had to carry dead from battle. He spent many nights in bunkers and wet and rainy days sitting in rice patties. Having to be constantly on alert, he had residual awareness of loud noises, especially that of gun shot sounds, firecrackers, etc. Fred was never very good at personal disclosure of his feelings, but did talk freely of his Viet Nam experience when asked by me. I am to this day unsure that he suffered from Post Tramatic Stress Synndrome but that could have been a factor for his later in life drinking problem. What is interesting is that he never drank alcohol while in combat and and would trade his ration of beer for cokes. He had become increasingly dependent on alcohol more so in the last decade of his life and suffered with depression and other health problems like high blood pressure and pancreatitis. He had long periods of sobriety but only while living at home with his beloved parents who took him in when all else failed.During this time he ate his mother’s good home cooking, played cards and enjoyed better health. He also enjoyed visits from other family members. He seemed ,however, to lack the internal strength to follow through on obtaining and maintaining support systems critical for continued sobriety. He was a loner and an introvert which was always a part of his psychological make-up. Fred was a very sweet, kind, loving man who loved his family. He loved his wife of 32 years and had two beautiful daughters.Although divorced in 1999, his family continued to offer much nuturing and support as they lived nearby. They continued to do things as a family which he really enjoyed.Unhappy with his stressful work as a computer programmer his drinking seemed to accelerate despite family support and encouragement. One day he must have decided he couldn’t tolerate the pain any longer and shot himself in the head on March 26, 2002.His dry sense of humor and his sweet, quiet demeanor will be greatly missed by us all. May you finally rest in peace, Fred. We will always remember you and love you.Your beloved sister, Karen.
Submitted By: Karen Hood
Relationship to Veteran: Sibling
