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Casualty Info
Home Town Riverside, NJ
Last Address Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Casualty Date Jul 12, 1969
Cause Non Hostile- Died while Missing
Reason Drowned, Suffocated
Location Quang Nam (Vietnam)
Conflict Vietnam War
Location of Interment Beverly National Cemetery (VA) - Beverly, New Jersey
John Clannahan Usilton was born on June 29, 1941, to James and Edna Usilton. His home of record is Riverside, NJ. He had two sisters and a brother. John was a graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School.
Before enlisting in the US Army, John was a clerk with Philadelphia Copper Coke Co. He entered the US Navy after spending two years in the US Army and a year in the Naval Reserves while living in Philadelphia, PA.
Usilton served as a Utility Man 2nd Class (UT2) and in Vietnam served as an assistant supervisor at the Tango Water Plant. He served in the Seabee outfit at the rank of UT2 (ES) and planned on making the Navy his career.
On July 12, 1969, Usilton was killed when he fell into the Cau Do River near Da Nang while working at the pump station near the Cau Do Bridge. His body was recovered a few days later in the Cau Do River of the Quang Nam Providence in South Vietnam. He was 28 years old.
Usilton left behind his wife, Josephine, and two children, Patricia and John. He is buried at Beverly National Cemetery.
Usilton received the Purple Heart.
Sources: Josephine Usilton (wife), Robert Sage and NJVVMF.
