Michael John Cromie

Private First Class
1ST PLT, D CO, 2ND BN, 8TH CAVALRY, 1 CAV DIV
Army of the United States
06 April 1948 - 18 November 1968
Harper Woods, Michigan
Panel 38W Line 006

1 CAV DIV 8TH CAV RGT
Combat Infantry

Purple Heart, National Defense, Vietnam Service, Vietnam Campaign
Michael J Cromie

The database page for Michael John Cromie

14 February 2002

Mike was my best friend.

We met during AIT at Fort Knox, Ky, in May 1968. He was a welcome guest in my family's home almost every weekend we didn't have duty.

We left for Viet Nam in July 68 on the same flight from Fort Lewis, Wa. Upon arrival in VN after stops in Alaska and Japan we were separated at Cam Ranh Bay.

I never saw Mike again, but kept track of him through his letters to my family, and his mother's letters to my wife. He had been assigned to an infantry outfit somewhere down south, while I went north to 4th Infantry at Pleiku.

I was wounded in November 1968 and was recuperating at base camp when I received a returned letter I had written to Mike along with a note from his commander, which informed me that Mike had been seriously wounded in a mortar attack, was medevaced out to Japan, and had died there a few days later.

Mike's memory has been part of my life ever since. I still miss him, and think of him often. We lost track of Mike's family shortly after his death, and often wonder where they may be.

Mike is buried in a suburb of Detroit near where he lived. We were told that his funeral had more people attending than the town had ever had attend a funeral before.

Mike was a great friend.

S. W. "Bud'' Collins
940 River Rd. Smithland, Ky. 42081
budpat1968@juno.com

25 March 2002


Mike served in the 1st Platoon, D Company, 2/8 Cavalry.

The photo shows (left to right) Mike, Jim Nix, me, and Tom Spampinato goofing off at Landing Zone Carol in August 1968. LZ Carol was located in the mountains near the Laotian border in I Corps. Mike was killed after we had moved south to III Corps near the Cambodian border.

Visit his unit web site at
http://www.angryskipper.org

Our "Honor Roll" Page is at
http://www.angryskipper.org/html6.htm

Mike "Mouse" McGhie
mmcghie@prodigy.net

07 Mar 2007

Mike was my brother and I am very proud of him. I miss him so much and I think of him daily. I am so thankful for him and all the men who gave their lives for our Freedom.

Mike will always be remembered as my son, now 22 years old, is named after him and he is very proud of that.

Your Sister,
Kathy

Kathleen Cromie Demick
kcdemick@yahoo.com



The point-of-contact for this memorial is
his sister,
Kathleen Cromie Demick
kcdemick@yahoo.com



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With all respect
Jim Schueckler, former CW2, US Army
Ken Davis, Commander, United States Navy (Ret)
Memorial first published on 14 Feb 2002
Last updated 08/03/2007