# Marine Corps question: who delivers the news of a Marine's death? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 14, 2006, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marine-corps-question-who-delivers-the-news-of-a-marines-death/360696 "2006-06-14T16:12:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crankyasanoldman/32/11670_2.png) [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrankyAsAnOldMan)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2006, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marine-corps-question-who-delivers-the-news-of-a-marines-death/360696/21 "2006-06-15T18:23:27Z")
> [@Tripler](#): > > Yep, that was _We Were Soldiers_, regarding the 1st Cav. during the battle of Ia Drang. > > I don’t know how true that was, since I am under the understanding an officer and chaplain notification was long since a standing thing since WWII. According to the article referenced above (assuming it’s accurate), the officer notification was instituted towards the end of the Vietnam war. In another note, I recently watched a program about a Marine Reserve unit that took substantial losses in Iraq. Concerning the death on one marine, his dad was home when the officer came to notify. His wife (the marine’s mom) was out shopping. The father didn’t think he could bear to tell her, so he asked the officer to stay until she returned. He also asked that they move their van so she would not be tipped off before coming in to the house. The officer complied with both wishes. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2017, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marine-corps-question-who-delivers-the-news-of-a-marines-death/360696/22 "2017-04-17T19:01:31Z")
> [@Aguecheek](#): > > Can’t remember where I first found it, but the [Rocky Mountain News](http://denver.rockymountainnews.com/news/finalSalute/) had a fantastic series on a Marine Major whose only job was notifying families and seeing them through the whole process. Very informative, it gives you a lot of information of what goes on behind the scenes, and the interactions with the family. > > I was blubbering like a 2-year-old by the time I’d finished reading it. Link is dead. [NYTimes reprint/excerpt.](http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2008/06/04/books/20080605_SALUTE_SLIDESHOW_index.html) FTR: First SD post done with tears in my eyes. ---
**Author:** ![JHBoom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/13edae/32.png) [@JHBoom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JHBoom)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2017, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marine-corps-question-who-delivers-the-news-of-a-marines-death/360696/23 "2017-04-18T00:29:38Z")
[Taking Chance](http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/), the story that inspired the movie. Performing funeral details, as an active-duty staff member of a Marine Corps Reserve unit, remains one of the hardest, yet most honorable and fulfilling tasks I performed in a 20+ year military career. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2017, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marine-corps-question-who-delivers-the-news-of-a-marines-death/360696/24 "2017-04-18T02:00:21Z")
How’s the book coming along? ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2017, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marine-corps-question-who-delivers-the-news-of-a-marines-death/360696/25 "2017-04-18T19:02:41Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > Link is dead. Probably because this thread is 11 years old. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2017, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marine-corps-question-who-delivers-the-news-of-a-marines-death/360696/26 "2017-04-18T19:20:52Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > Link is dead. Somebody better tell its family. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2017, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marine-corps-question-who-delivers-the-news-of-a-marines-death/360696/27 "2017-04-18T19:25:12Z")
I thought Skald retired from The Dope. At least that is what prompted me to look at the post date. That and the _ER_ reference. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marine-corps-question-who-delivers-the-news-of-a-marines-death/360696.md?page=1)