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Today, we salute PFC Dan Bullock. At just 14 years old, Dan Bullock altered his birth certificate...

By GarySiniseFoundation
Posted January 9, 2026

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About the Creator

The Gary Sinise Foundation is a nonprofit organization founded by actor and advocate Gary Sinise, dedicated to honoring and supporting military service members, veterans, first responders, and their families.[1] Its content style is respectful, patriotic, and story-driven, often highlighting individual acts of service and sacrifice to educate the public and inspire support for those who serve.[1] The foundation is widely regarded as credible due to its long-standing partnerships with veterans’ groups and its transparent, mission-focused programming.

What's This About?

This post honors **PFC Dan Bullock**, a U.S. Marine who, at age 15, became the youngest American service member killed in action during the Vietnam War.[2][3][4] At 14, Bullock altered his birth certificate to appear 18 so he could enlist in the Marine Corps, completed boot camp at Parris Island, and deployed to Vietnam in May 1969.[2][3][4] Less than a month later, on June 7, 1969, he was killed while on night watch at An Hoa Combat Base during an enemy attack, after being reassigned from cleaning duty to guard duty that night.[1][3][4] The post also notes how his grave went unmarked for decades and highlights the memorials in Brooklyn and Goldsboro, North Carolina, that now preserve his legacy.[3][4]

🔥Why It's Trending

This content is trending because it combines a powerful personal story with themes of sacrifice, youth, and the human cost of war, which resonate strongly on commemorative and military-appreciation days. The Gary Sinise Foundation has a large, engaged audience that frequently amplifies posts honoring individual service members, and stories like Bullock’s—especially his age and delayed recognition—often go viral as people share them to raise awareness.[1][4] The use of the #WarriorWednesday hashtag further boosts visibility within military and veteran communities on social platforms.

💡Fun Facts

  • 1Dan Bullock was only **15 years old** when he was killed in action, making him the youngest American service member to die in the Vietnam War.[2][3][4]
  • 2To enlist, Bullock changed the birth year on his birth certificate from **1953 to 1949**, successfully convincing recruiters that he was old enough to join the Marine Corps.[2][3][4]
  • 3He graduated from Marine boot camp at Parris Island on December 10, 1968—just **eleven days before his fifteenth birthday**.[1][3]
  • 4Bullock had been in Vietnam for **only about three weeks**—arriving on May 18, 1969—before he was killed on June 7, 1969.[3][4]
  • 5His grave in Goldsboro, North Carolina, remained **unmarked until 2000**, when a veteran’s marker was finally provided, and in 2003 New York City renamed a portion of Lee Avenue in Brooklyn in his honor.[3][4]

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Today, we salute PFC Dan Bullock. At just 14 years old, Dan Bullock altered his birth certificate...