Lance Cpl. Daniel Lee Prock

Mar. 7, 1948-June 6, 1968

Gridley

Dan Prock survived some of the toughest fighting of the Vietnam War in the seven months before the day his platoon was ambushed in Quang Tri Province and he was killed.

Prock, a radio operator in the 26th Marines, was in the regiment that endured the siege of Khe Sanh in early 1968. He also fought at Phu Rai, Camp Carroll and Con Thien. He was wounded once earlier, sent to a hospital to recover and was sent out again.

War photographer David Douglas Duncan was with the Marines at Khe Sanh and later published two books, “War Without Heroes,” and “Protest,” that featured several pictures of Prock.

According to his brother, Prock’s letters home indicated “that he felt U.S. military presence was needed to fight communism, but he was frustrated by the lack of commitment from the South Vietnamese Army.”

Dan Prock was born and raised in Gridley. He played football and basketball at Gridley High before graduating in 1966.

Prock and some buddies also formed a band in high school—he was the drummer—and played at local dances.

He enlisted in the Marines in June 1967, and was sent to Vietnam Dec. 5, 1967. He had planned a law enforcement career after the military.

Chico News & Review, May 26, 1988

National Archives

Chico News & Review