David Albert was born on June 2, 1949, in Jersey City, NJ. He lived in New Milford, NJ, for a short time before moving to Paramus, NJ. His home of record is Paramus, NJ. He attended Memorial School, Parkway School and West Brook Junior High before entering Paramus High School. He was a good runner and made the high school track team. Albert also sang in the choir of St. Matthews Episcopal Church in Paramus, NJ.
David looked up to his older brother, Henry, who was in the Marine Corps. It was because of Henry that David wanted to join the Marines. This was something he wanted to do very much. Finally, his parents gave their consent. David entered the US Marine Corps at the age of 17.
His first tour of duty in Vietnam lasted from July 1967 to August 1968, during which time he was stationed around Da Nang and he contracted malaria. After completing his first tour he was assigned to the Presidential Honor Guard in Washington, DC. He attained the rank of Lance Corporal (LCPL).
Albert felt bored by his new assignment so he re-applied for Vietnam service. He felt that he wasn’t participating and he wanted to be where the action was. His mother said that he believed his job was in Vietnam. He wrote her, “If we could know over here what is going on over there, we would know why he wanted to return.”
On September 5, 1969, Albert was killed in action when his patrol was ambushed by rocket fire in the Quang Nam Province. He was survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. David Marans and his two brothers, Henry and Robert.
He was awarded the Vietnam Service Medal, the National Defense Medal, the Occupational Medal, and the Purple Heart Medal.
There is a monument and Red Oak tree on the grounds of Memorial School in Paramus honoring David Albert and Frank Kerbl, another Paramus resident who gave his life in Vietnam. He is buried at George Washington Memorial Park in Paramus, NJ.
Sources: Newspaper clippings and NJVVMF.
12/17/2024
