Nicholas Jim Grcich, Vietnam War CasualtyPorter County Data on Vietnam War Casualties . . . .
Nicholas Jim Grcich
Specialist Seventh Class
Date of Birth: October 2, 1930
Date of Death: March 20, 1967
Cause of Death: Drowned/Suffocated (non-hostile)
Burial: Arlington National Cemetery (Section 53, Site 2896), Arlington, Virginia
Hometown: Valparaiso
Vietnam Veterans Memorial: Panel 16 East, Row 121
Newspaper Notices:
Dies In Pond Near Saigon
Sgt. 1-C Nicholas Grcich, 36, RFD 4, who joined the Army because he could not
swim and did not like water, drowned in Vietnam Monday night when he fell from a
platform into a rice mill pond, it was reported here today.
He was originally to have returned to the State in August, but signed up for
three extensions of duty in Vietnam.
The last extension was for three months which enabled him to receive a month's
leave at Christmas to visit his mother, Dora, 75, who resides on RFD 4,
Valparaiso.
He would have been home last week if he had not signed up for this last
extension, he was scheduled to come home in March.
Others In Navy
He did not tell the family just exactly what time in March he would have been
home, because he didn't want them to be worried in case he was delayed, the
family stated.
Two of this brothers served in the Navy and one sister in the Waves during World
War II.
The 17-year Army veteran went to high school in East Chicago. After his brother
Joseph moved to RDF 4, Valparaiso, their mother living with them for the past
four years, Nick spent his leaves here to visit the family. He was not married.
The message of Grcich's death was delivered to the family Tuesday by Lt. Douglas
Hempill, NIKE base, Wheeler.
A member of the 553rd Heavy Equipment Maintenance company, for engineer's
support operations in Vietnam, his headquarters was located in a rice mill near
Saigon.
Grcich's body will be shipped back here in seven to 10 days.
Funeral arrangements have not been completed, but the funeral will probably be
in Chicago, according to Mrs. Joseph Grcich, with burial in Arlington National
cemetery.
Suvivors are his mother, and brothers and sisters, Joseph, Michael, Mrs. Steven
Boskovich, John Blaskovich, Mrs. Al Petrosky and Mrs. Frank Derosa.
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Source: The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; March
22, 1967; Volume 40, Number 220, Page 1, Columns 1 and 2
Funeral Rites Scheduled For Nicholas Grcich
Services for Sgt. 1-C Nicholas Grcich, 36, RFD 4, who drowned Monday in Vietnam
when he fell from a platform into a rice mill pond near Saigon, will be held at
9:30 a.m. Monday from Huber Funeral home, 905 West Chicago avenue, East Chicago,
and at 10 a.m. in Trinity Croatian church in East Chicago.
The Rev. Paul Begovich will officiate with burial in Arlington National
cemetery, Arlington, Va.
Grcich was a member of 553rd Heavy Equipment Maintenance company.
Friends may call at the funeral home after 7 p.m. Saturday.
________________________________________________________________
Source: The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; March
24, 1967; Volume 40, Number 222, Page 6, Column 5
Return to
List of
Porter County Vietnam War Casualties
Information abstracted and transcribed by Steven R. Shook