September 20 2017: HASKELL, William

HASKELL, WILLIAM

HASKELL William Haskell (Age 72) 1st Lt USMC (Ret.) On Sunday, September 17, 2017, of Washington, DC after a short illness. Bill Haskell was born June 7, 1945 in Washington, DC to the late Albert Joseph Haskell and Esther Knudsen Haskell. Bill was an officer in the United States Marine Corps, having joined at the height of the Vietnam War. He was in command of a Marine Corps platoon in Vietnam on March 9, 1969 when they encountered a numerically superior NVA unit. The marines soundly defeated the NVA unit while sustaining no casualties themselves. Bill received the Silver Star for his leadership and courage during the battle. The battle received notice on the front page of the Washington Post. Bill had also received the Purple Heart, Bronze Star with Combat “V” device, and the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with “V” device. On May 25 1969, Bill was wounded in a huge battle near Mutter Ridge. Colonel Oliver North wrote about Bill in his book One More Mission. The first chapter titled “Kilo One Actual is Down” described Bill’s wounding in detail. Colonel North described Bill as one of the best Marine Corps officers and credited him with teaching him combat skills during the war. Bill retired from the marines and went to work for HR Block as a district manager. After a short time, he purchased his own HR Block franchises in Upper Marlboro, MD and Dunkirk, MD. After retiring, Bill volunteered preparing taxes for service members. Larry, Bill’s brother, recalls a vivid memory when a large group of enlisted marines and officers walking down the sidewalk on the way to visit Bill recovering from his wounds in 1969. This was at a time when officer-enlisted conflicts were reported regularly in the newspaper. This combined group of marines had gone out of their way to visit him at home. They told stories of Bill’s leadership in battle and reported he would frequently take point himself, never asking his men to do anything he would not do himself. He stayed in shape and ran in the Marine Corps marathon every year. He always told his family that he would run in the marathon on his 100th birthday. No one doubted that would happen. On July 31, he was actively training for the marathon but on August 1, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. His decline was rapid. He was unable to drink or eat other than tiny amounts by mid-August. Absent any nutrition, he started to wither away. At one point, he was visited by marine officers who had flown in from around the country and even overseas. They described Bill to hospital staff as a real American hero who had saved lives in combat. He was cheated by cancer out of his remaining 28 years and the marathons that he will not be running after all. He is survived by his son, Zach Haskell of Upper Marlboro, MD and a brother, Larry of Mt Pleasant, SC. Also survived by nieces, Laura Haskell and Monica Haskell Sanders and nephew, Joe Haskell. All will miss him terribly. Graveside service and interment with full military honors will be celebrated at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date. Memorial Donations may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project, PO Box 758516, Topeka, KS 66675.Memorial Donations may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project, PO Box 758516, Topeka, KS 66675.

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