What's in a name? Chapter 36 honors a local hero DeMarr

Friday, July 3, 2009

Click here to enlarge this photo John C. DeMarr Jr. E-Mail This Article | Print This Story

John C. DeMarr Jr., who Chapter 36, Disabled American Veterans is named for, was a La Plata resident who died Aug. 2, 1968 from injuries sustained during a reconnaissance patrol in Vietnam.

Under national by-laws, founders of Chapter 36 adopted DeMarr's name, citing him as a local hero.

DeMarr, the son of John Sr. and the late Blanche DeMarr, was born Nov. 30, 1947, according to a biography written by chapter chaplain Marie Halter.

The third child born to his parents, DeMarr, like his siblings, grew up working on the family farm in White Plains.

"He was a happy-go-lucky guy," said sister-in-law, Cathy, who married DeMarr's older brother, David, in 1965 . "He was always smiling."

Before being drafted into the U.S. Army, DeMarr worked construction jobs and got a couple of laughs when he and his friend used one of the farm tractors to drive around Waldorf, Cathy DeMarr remembered.

She said her brother-in-law didn't have any firm plans on what he would do after the Army, but she recalled that he was into music and could be found plucking away at a guitar every once in a while.

He joined the U.S. Army and was part of Company D, 1st Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division deployed to Vietnam.

In the pre-dawn hours of July 22, 1968, DeMarr, 20, was on patrol when he was seriously injured. He was taken to the 24th evacuation in Long Binh, Republic of Vietnam and then to the 249th general hospital in Japan. He died Aug. 2.

He is buried at Trinity Memorial Gardens in Waldorf. His mother, Blanche who died in 1994 and is Chapter 36's gold star mother, is buried alongside her son.

Chapter members hold a memorial service at the graveside on Veterans and Memorial day.

DeMarr had earned the National Defense Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Ribbon, Combat Infantry Badge, Sharpshooter Badge with Rifle and Machine Gun Bars and the Marksman Badge with automatic rifle bar.

He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star with first oak leaf cluster for heroism, the Air Medal, the Army Commendation medal, the Purple Heart and the Good Conduct medal.

In addition to his father, DeMarr is survived by his sisters, Janice Hall and Judy Hammonds; brother, David DeMarr; and aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews.