Tony Hughes was born on July 26, 1945 to the proud parents of Doris P and Robert R Hughes. He was one of ten (10) siblings who grew up in South Harrison Township on Highway 45. He attended schools there and Woodstown High prior to leaving school to work on the family farm and then enter the Marines. He was killed April 16, 1966 in Quang Nam Province South Vietnam. Hughes was a mortarman on a mission to take out a recoiless rifle that was firing into their position. Tony and a fellow Marine (Victor Chase) were killed instantly when an incoming 57mm round made a direct hit on their position. The Marine Command Chronology reports shows that at 0400 hours on 16 April 1966, Company H, in the vicinity of grid coordinates (AT 976585) was attacked by a large VC ground force, including 81mm and 60mm mortars and 57mm recoiless rifles. The ground and mortar attacks started at the same time. The VC took heavy casualties. At one point 22 bodies were counted; the VC kept returning to drag of the dead and wounded. Company H received a total of 150 to 160 rounds of incoming 60mm and 81mm mortars. After the failure of the VC main assault, they proceeded to break into small units and continued with probing attacks. During an October 2012 interview with a book author, his sister related: "I still miss him and everyone loved him," says his sister, Emily. "We were poor and had a rough time. I'd take him on outings to Wildwood and did what I could to make things as good for him as possible. He looked at joining the Marines as a way to get out". "He was a great kid, a jokester and a little mischievous. The cops and taxi drivers were known to bring him home." As a result of the assault, 6 Marines from 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines, and 1 Marine from C Company, 3rd Engineer Battalion were killed in action and 34 wounded. The names of those killed were: 2LT Anthony J. Battista, Dunmore, PA LCPL Victor E. Chase, Pensacola, FL CPL Tommie M. Cripe, Russiaville, IN PFC Tony H. Hughes, Woodstown, NJ LCPL James H. Kurdelski, Indianapolis, IN SGT James E. Prommersberger, (3rd Eng) Youngstown, OH LCPL Thomas N. Yagle, Traverse City, MI Tony Howard Hughes is buried at Lawnside Cemetery, Woodstown, New Jersey.

Hughes' name is listed on the Russell G Garrison Memorial Park monument in Woodstown, New Jersey. Below are the photos of Park sign and 2012 Re-dedicated Memorial Stone with new names added. The Russell G. Garrison Memorial Park is located in Woodstown, New Jersey. It was originally dedicated to local Vietnam veterans from the community who passed away during the war. The memorial was small, unnoticeable, neglected, and looked uninviting. According to Councilman Joe Hiles, the monument was installed in the late 1960s, along with a single flag pole. Since then, only two names, Garrison and Marvin L. Watson, were engraved on the monument. The Girl Scouts thought the veterans deserved more respect and care than shown in photo at their website. See story, photos, and videos here. The Girl Scouts needed a silver project to do and thought this was the perfect opportunity for expanding the memorial, and improving the landscaping to spice it up a bit. On October 31, 2012, the Girl Scouts had completed the work on sprucing up the monument grounds and placing the new monument. Read full story and see photos here. On November 12, 2012, a re-dedication ceremony was held for the recently beautified Russell G. Garrison Memorial Park. Local Girl Scouts Meagan Kirsch, Natalie Williams, and Gabby Scardino, revealed the newly added names to the Russell G. Garrison Memorial Park monument. Read full story and see photos here. The names engraved on the monument now include: SP4 Russell G Garrison, 4th Mil Police Co, 4th Infantry Division PFC Marvin Leroi Watson, C Co, 1st Bn, 5th Marines HM3 Larry Gene Bell, Medic (Lima/3/1), H&S Co, 3rd Bn, 1st Marines SP4 John Atkins, A Co, 1st Bn, 8th Infantry, 4th Inf Div PVT Francis Steven Rhoades, F Co, 2nd Bn, 7th Marines, 1st MARDIV SP4 Robert Moore, Jr., 647th QM Co, 240th QM Bn, 593rd GS Grp HM3 Tony Howard Hughes, H Co, 2nd Bn, 9th Mrines, 3rd MARDIV -- The Virtual Wall

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