SP4 Gary D. Murray

HVHS Class of 1964

Specialist 4 Gary D. Murray was born on August 5, 1946, and was originally from Elizabethton, Tennessee. He was a 1964 graduate of Happy Valley High School in Carter County. He served his country in the Vietnam War in the United States Army, as a medical NCO in HHC, 3rd Battalion, 12th Infantry, 4th Infantry Division. His tour in Vietnam began on September 15, 1966. On May 24, 1966, SP4 Murray was killed under hostile conditions in Pleiku province, South Vietnam; he was 20 years old at the time of his death. SP4 Murray is memorialized on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on Panel 20E, Line 96.

He is buried in the Southview Section of Happy Valley Memorial Park, Elizabethton, TN.


Gary Dalton Murray's burial plot is located in the Southview secion 153-C, Space 3.

Gary's senior superlative.  He was voted wittiest in his class.

Gary's painting dedication was memorialized in the HVHS 1968 annual.  

*All information for this individual was gathered from the East Tn Veterans Memorial webpage, honorstates.com, abmc.gov, find a grave webpage, Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund webpage and family contributions.


Shared Memories

I was also a medic that served with Gary in Vietnam. Gary was a very special man. always a smile on his face and such a positive person. He was coming to the aid of wounded fellow soldiers when he died. A great loss to the world.So many years and yet he is still remembered and thought about almost every day.


"A wounded soldier is never alone. There is always a comrade that is there for them." A quote from a cemetery in Germany. 

Even though I was only 3 when Uncle Gary died, I have heard so many stories from my family about what a great young man he was. I still have a toy he bought for me when I was little. He is missed. My dad has the flag from his funeral and we still fly it on beautiful sunny days. 

-Lorrie Murray Plank