Walter Keith Singleton was born on December 7, 1944, in Memphis, Tennessee, the son of Mr. and Mrs. George P. Singleton (when he was born during World War II, his father was a U.S. ArmyPOW in Germany).[1] He had two (three) brothers and four sisters. He graduated from Nicholas Blackwell High School (Bartlett High School) in Bartlett, Tennessee, in June 1963;[2] while attending school, he ran track. He liked to hunt and fish with his father and was a member of the Future Farmers of America (FFA).
On August 1, 1963, he and his brother Bobby Jo, enlisted together in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve at Memphis[3] and integrated into the Regular Marine Corps the following September. Ordered to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina, he completed recruit training with the 3rd Recruit Training Battalion in February 1964. He was promoted to private first class on March 1. Transferred to Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, he was assigned duty as ammo-carrier with Company E, 2nd Battalion, 6th Marines, 2nd Marine Division until November 1965. While stationed at Camp Lejeune, he was promoted to lance corporal on October 1, 1964, and to corporal on August 1, 1965. In November, Corporal Singleton returned to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot at Parris Island and served as an instructor with the Weapons Training Battalion, Recruit Training Regiment, with the additional duty of training marksmanship to midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland. While performing this additional duty, he received a letter of appreciation with a trophy for qualifying 100 percent of the officers-to-be.[4]
Corporal Singleton (and his brother) was promoted to sergeant while serving in Okinawa on September 1, 1966.[5] He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment and on November 13, he was assigned to Company A, 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division as a supply sergeant.[6] On December 11, he and his unit arrived in South Vietnam from Okinawa[7][8] (under service regulations, only one brother was allowed to go to Vietnam). On March 24, 1967, the 1st Battalion, 9th Marines began Operation Prairie III; that same day, in the Gio Linh District, Quang Tri Province, Sergeant Singleton's Company A came under intense enemy fire at the village of Phu An. He was mortally wounded after advancing from his relatively safe position in the rear to help his company's lead platoon's medical corpsmen evacuate numerous wounded away from the enemy kill zone. Just before Singleton was killed by enemy fire, he managed to make a single-handed assault with a machine gun on the enemy's position and destroy it, killing eight and driving the remainder away. It was for these acts of bravery, which had saved several more of his comrades' lives, that he was awarded the Medal of Honor.[9]
Singleton is buried next to his parents at Memory Hill Gardens (now Memphis Memorial Gardens) at 3700 N Germantown Road in his hometown of Memphis, Tennessee.
SERGEANT WALTER K. SINGLETON UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS
for service as set forth in the following
CITATION:
"For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as Supply Sergeant, Company A, First Battalion, Ninth Marines, Third Marine Division on 24 March 1967. Sergeant Singleton's company was conducting combat operations in Gio Linh District, Quang Tri Province, Republic of Vietnam, when the lead platoon received intense small arms, automatic weapons, rocket, and mortar fire from a well entrenched enemy force. As the company fought its way forward, the extremely heavy enemy fire caused numerous friendly casualties. Sensing the need for early treatment of the wounded, Sergeant Singleton quickly moved from his relatively safe position in the rear of the foremost point of the advance and made numerous trips through the enemy killing zone to move the injured men out of the danger area. Noting that a large part of the enemy fire was coming from a hedgerow, he seized a machine gun and assaulted the key enemy location, delivering devastating fire as he advanced. He forced his way through the hedgerow directly into the enemy strong point. Although he was mortally wounded, his fearless attack killed eight of the enemy and drove the remainder from the hedgerow. Sergeant Singleton's bold actions completely disorganized the enemy defense and saved the lives of many of his comrades. His daring initiative, selfless devotion to duty and indomitable fighting spirit reflected great credit upon himself and the Marine Corps, and his performance upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service."[14]
Walter K. Singleton Gate (March 28, 1992) – south gate (# 8) at Naval Support Activity Mid-South (formerly Naval Air Station Memphis), in Millington, Tennessee.[16]
Sgt. Walter K. Singleton Marine Corps League Detachment 476 – Memphis, Tennessee Link
Community
Sgt. Walter Singleton display (March 23, 1976) – Bartlett High School, Bartlett, Tennessee
Singleton Community Center (1983) where also a Tennessee Historical Commission Historical Marker stands honoring Sgt Walter K. Singleton – Bartlett, Tennessee[17]
Sgt. Walter K. Singleton Park – on Castleman Street in Memphis, Tennessee
