Neil Edward Riley
Private First Class
E CO, 2ND BN, 9TH MARINES, 3RD MARDIV, III MAF
United States Marine Corps
Gibsonia, Pennsylvania
May 05, 1946 to September 13, 1966
NEIL E RILEY is on the Wall at Panel 10E, Line 93

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Combat Action Ribbon
 
Neil E Riley
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Neil Riley grew up in Gibsonia, Pennsylvania, admiring and wanting to be a Marine. In school he played football, wrestled, and ran track. He loved the woods in Gibsonia and hunted and fished and walked his dog.

He joined the Marines in January 1966 and was only in Vietnam a month when he was killed.

After his death at Phu Bai, Vietnam, his classmates at Richland High School asked a nationally famous sculptress, Janet de Coux, who also lived in Gibsonia, to do a memorial for Neil. She graciously did so just for the amount they collected. The bronze plaque is in front of the high school. It was dedicated May 30, 1967 and rededicated on the new Pine-Richland High School Nov 11, 1994.

This epitaph is on his grave marker:

Neil Riley
Young in living
Died in war
Urgently he lived
Joyous, hopeful
Beloved, loving
His words unspent
Are spoken
"Forever, Oh Lord. Thy word is Settled in Heaven"
May 5, 1946 - September 13,1966
Viet Nam

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On leave after Boot Camp with his brother Dale, also a Marine.

A memorial from his Mother and Brother,
Olive Oswald Riley and Dale A. Riley
dale.riley262@yahoo.com
11 Nov 2001


PFC Neil Edward Riley, USMC,
is remembered by his comrades in the
2nd Battalion, 9th Marines


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