This weekend, we celebrate Memorial Day, where we remember those who served this country and gave the ultimate sacrifice, never returning home to their friends and loved ones following their military service.

There are thousands upon thousands of people to remember this weekend, but I’d like to focus on just one, who was from my hometown of Clear Spring, MD. 

George Edgar Massie was born on November 5, 1947 and grew up in Clear Spring.  He graduated from Clear Spring High School in 1965 and following his schooling, he became part of the Unites States Marine Corps, 3^rd Marine Division, 2^nd Battalion, 3^rd Marines, G Company.

He was sent to Vietnam and was involved in the brutal fighting of the battle of Khe Sanh, which was conducted in the Quang Tri Province in South Vietnam.  The Battle of Khe Sanh was one of the longest and most brutal of the Vietnam War, and Private First Class Massie was killed on May 24, 1968, 57 years ago this past week[1].  He had been in Vietnam for less than a month.

Private First Class Massie received the Purple Heart, and his name is inscribed on the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial Wall on the Mall at Washington, DC (Panel 68e, line 5).  He is also listed as a Maryland Gold Star Veteran and is just one of over 1,017 soldiers from Maryland that perished during the Vietnam War with the Gold Star designation.

I hope that during your parties and weekend festivities you’ll take a few moments to honor those who paid the ultimate price for the freedoms we enjoy, and who’s families will remember and talk about them on this Memorial Day.

Have a great week – and Semper Fi!

---

[1] Information taken from HonorStates.org website, https://www.honorstates.org/profiles/286142/, referenced on 5/21/25