COOL DUDES I ADMIRE: DAN BULLOCK

Dan Bullock enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. on September 18th, 1968 at the age of 14. Altering his birth certificate, he claimed to be born on December 21, 1949 instead of 1953 in order to serve. He was sent to Paris Island, South Carolina and completed basic training with some help from fellow recruits, eleven days before his fifteenth birthday.

Bullock was stationed at An Koa Combat Base in Quang Nam Province where he was assigned as a rifleman to Fox Company, Second Battalion, Fifth Marine Regiment. 

On June 7th, 1969 Bullock was re-assigned from cleaning duties that night to take over an injured Marine’s assignment, guarding a Delta Airship. Bullock and 3 other Marines were occupying a bunker when they had been hit with a satchel charge as the North Vietnamese Army attacked the base. All four marines were killed instantly. 

It wasn’t until reporters paid a visit to Bullocks family that America came to know that Bullock was only 15. In honor of his bravery, the New York City Council renamed a section of Lee Avenue in his honor in June of 2003.