David Karl Manning was born on June 17, 1948, in Montreal, Canada, the son of Thomas R. Manning and Ethel May Manning.

David enlisted in the US Marine Corps on November 24, 1967, and arrived in Vietnam on May 17, 1968, where he was assigned for duty with H&S Company BLT (Battalion Landing Team) 3/1, 9th MAB, FMFPAC as a mortar man. On November 30, he was transferred and reassigned for duty with the 1st CAG (Combined Action Group) III, joining CAP 1-3-5, CACO 1-3 as a Rifleman.

CAPs (Combined Action Platoon) were units where Marines would live, train, and patrol with local Vietnamese PFs (Popular Forces) in their villages and who were little more than armed civilians. A squad of Marines would be assigned to villages that had a high enemy presence, to instill the fighting spirit in the local PFs so they can protect their families and fellow citizens against their enemy the Viet Cong and NVA.

In January, a CAP patrol was returning from the hamlet of Dong Le (4) in the Binh Son District of Quang Ngai Province when they were attacked by fifteen VCs, assistance was requested and a reaction force joined the patrol forcing the enemy to flee. Continuing north towards their destination, the men were attacked a second because of their malfunctioning weapons and poor communication with friendly supporting arms the men were quickly evacuated by helicopter. During the firefights, LCpl Manning was killed by hostile rifle fire as well as one PF (Popular Force – Vietnamese CAP member), and one Marine was wounded.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com