US Army, 1965-1967
Tomb Position: Assistant Relief Commander, Sentinel
Marvin “Lyle” Franklin Jr., 22, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, entered into eternal rest on August 31, 1967. He was born on July 15, 1945 in Oklahoma City, where he graduated from Putnam City High School in 1963. He was a member of the loway Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska, the Putnam City Methodist Church, and the Bethany Masonic Lodge where he served as Senior DeMolay. He was an automobile and woodworking enthusiast whose hobbies included rebuilding car engines and restoring furniture. In 1965, he enlisted in the United States Army. He was initially assigned to the 3rd Infantry Regiment “Old Guard”, where he served as a Sentinel at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from July 1966 until February 1967. After his service in the Old Guard, he was assigned to the 1st Calvary Division. He was killed in action at Binh Dinh, South Vietnam.
Awards and Decorations:
- Bronze Star
- Air Medal
- National Defense Service Medal
- Tomb Guard Identification Badge
- Purple Heart
- Army Good Conduct Medal
- Vietnam Service Medal
- Combat Infantryman’s Badge
Lyle was the nephew of Theda Taylor of Marceline, cousin to Linda Taylor and Chris Ankeney. Of the many veterans on both sides of our family, Lyle was the only one who lost his life in service.