Freedom Is Never Free

Jerry Clark Burkhead, a United States Marine Corps corporal from Lee Mont, Virginia, was born in Justisville on October 19, 1946, the youngest of twelve children of Mr. and Mrs. J.J. Burkhead. Remembered by family and friends for his kind spirit, humor, and loyalty, he grew up in Lee Mont with family at the center of his life, was a member of Zion Baptist Church, graduated from Parksley High School in 1966, and then joined the United States Marine Corps. Deployed from Camp Pendleton to Vietnam in November 1967, he was killed in action during the Tet Offensive on February 8, 1968, at Hill 64 near Khe Sanh Combat Base in Quang Tri, South Vietnam. His story is set alongside Captain “Mac” Radcliffe’s reflection on the price of freedom and a casualty list for the Battle for Hill 64 that includes Barrett, Burkhead, Clemson, Colegate, Craig, Dickie, Fordham, Glasper, Handley, Jackson, Lewer, McDaniel, McKinley, McKinney, Morden, Murphy, Pembleton, Pondoff, Rizzo, Roach, Rountree, Scott, Skuza, Stewart, Torres, Walsh, and York, and alongside rolls honoring men of Accomack County, Virginia, who died in service in World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, as well as men and women who served in World Wars I and II and the Korean, Vietnam, Gulf, Afghanistan, and Iraq Wars.

Parksley, Virginia · United States