In Loving Memory: Sgt. Clifton J. Troutman III

The Virginia Flaggers are saddened to announce that we have lost a beloved friend and Flagger, and our country has lost a true hero.

Sgt. Cliff Troutman died in a fire at his home on Saturday, January 18, 2014. Almost as soon as we organized, Sgt. Troutman searched out the Va Flaggers and instantly became one of our most ardent supporters and dedicated Flaggers. As famous for his "Confederate Pig" pork rinds as his legendary status as one of the "Walking Dead", Sgt. Troutman was an inspiration to us all and he will be greatly missed.

"Sgt. Troutman was a Tar Heel, with ancestor from the 4th N.C. Regiment of Bryan Grimes, one of the hardest fighting Tar Heel Units in the war. The 4th would suffer and endure one of the highest casualties of N.C. Units, beginning at the battle of Seven Pines, where the unit of Grimes was almost decimated.

He was as a Marine, a Vietnam Marine. But, there's more to say because he was with the famed 1 - 9th Marines in Vietnam called the Walking Dead. Sgt. Troutman saw war and he saw death, just like his ancestor with the 4th North Carolina. The Marine Unit 1 9th would be with the hardest fighting Marine unit in Vietnam. Troutman told me that he came ashore in the first wave of Marines, landing at Red Beach in 1965, a place that I would hear about many times at DaNang, and that he had 2 or 3 tours of duty there.

During the Vietnam War, the unit earned the name "The Walking Dead" for its high casualty rate.[1] The battalion endured the longest sustained combat and suffered the highest killed in action (KIA) rate in Marine Corps history, especially during the Battle of July Two. The battalion was engaged in combat for 47 months and 7 days, from 15 June 1965 to 19 October 1966 and 11 December 1966 to 14 July 1969. Based on a typical battalion strength of 800 Marines and Navy hospital corpsmen, 93.63% (747) were Killed In Action (KIA) and 0.25% (2) were Missing In Action (MIA).

FEW VIETNAM Veterans would endure and suffer the numbers of tours in Vietnam and the service where death among brothers was a daily occurrence, and the enemy suffered and endured the losses of great numbers. We have lost one of America's Great Warriors.

Sgt. Troutman has Resumed His Watch with the Walking Dead, And I Salute His Journey - Finding his Friends and Lost Compatriots and Comrades in Arms, Who Became Forever Young from 1965 - 1972. Troutman will be there with his Confederate Flag for sure, telling his friends - "Saddle Up Marines, it's Time to Lock and Load'." - Bobby Edwards

In his memory, the Va Flaggers will continue our vigil, knowing he has joined the Great Cloud of Witnesses, watching and cheering us on...

Affectionately,
" Iron Lady"  :)

Susan Hathaway
Va Flaggers