THE SPRINGFIELD 50 PROJECT
www.springfield50.org
Joel Henry Chapin
Personal Data:
Birth Date: August 9, 1947
Birth Place: Springfield, Massachusetts
Race: Caucasian
Religion: Protestant
U.S. Citizen: Yes
Father's Name: Luther E. Chapin
Mother's Name: Frances I. (Thorpe) Chapin
Sibling Names:
Judith C. (Chapin) Brightman; Richard W. Chapin; Neil R. Chapin; Donald T. Chapin; Cynthia (Chapin) Tillander; Lesley (Chapin) Frederick
Marital Status: Single
Wife's Name:
Offspring Names:
Education:
High School Diploma: Unknown
Selective Service Data:
SSS Local Board Number: 80
SSS Local Board Location: West Springfield, Massachusetts
Military Service Record:
Entry Date: October 21, 1966
Entry Mode: Induction
Entry Location: Springfield, Massachusetts
Home Of Record: Springfield, Massachusetts
Please Note: Chapin family members report that Joel Chapin never actually lived in Springfield. The family lived in West Springfield at the time of Joel's death, having just moved there from Agawam. Joel was a resident of Agawam when he was inducted. Determining why such errors exist in military service records is, unfortunately, beyond the scope of this project.
Military Branch: Army
Military Component: Selective Service
Rank: Private First Class
Rank Abbrev: PFC
Pay Grade: E3
ID Card Description (issued July 11, 1967): 5'10"/170 pounds/brown hair/brown eyes
MOS: 76A10
MOS Title: Supplyman
MOS Background:
Established May 65 as Supply Clerk. Retitled to Supplyman Apr 67. Deleted May 74. 4th char of 1 = E1-E4 skill level. 5th char of O = no extra qual or SQL.
Awards Received: Purple Heart Medal; National Defense Service Medal
Badges Earned: Sharpshooter Badge with Rifle Bar
Length Of Service: less than 1 year
Southeast Asia Tour Data:
Date Tour Commenced: August 28, 1967
Division: 1st Logistical Command
Battalion: 240th Quartermaster Battalion
Company: 647th Quartermaster Company
Base Location: An Khe (Petroleum Operations), South Vietnam
Vehicle/Equipment Type: 2 1/2 Ton Truck
Army Campaign Number: 5th
Army Campaign Name: Counteroffensive, Phase III
Casualty Data:
Casualty Date: October 13, 1967
Casualty Time: 1915
Casualty Age: 20
Casualty Data 1: Hostile, Died While Missing
Casualty Data 2: Ground Casualty
Casualty Data 3: Gun, Small Arms Fire
Casualty Province: Binh Dinh Province
Casualty Country: South Vietnam
Casualty Grid Coordinates: BR 615 463
Body: Recovered
Burial/Memorial:
Burial Location: Center St. Cemetery, Granby, Massachusetts
Burial Plot Location:
Burial Date:
Escort Name: SP4 Franklin G. Giberson, USA
Springfield 50 Casualty Order: 14th
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Panel Number: 27E
Line Number: 99
Photographs supplied by Lesley (Chapin) Frederick, October
13, 2005,
the 38th anniversary of Joel's death.
