Donald Madden

Donald Eugene Madden (July 27, 1947 – Feb. 26, 1967) was a soldier from New River killed in the Vietnam War.

See Also: Scott Countians killed in war

Biography

Born July 27, 1947, Donald E. Madden was the son of Coleman Madden (1913-1974) and Artie Phillips (1923-1980) of the New River community. His siblings included Claude Wayne Madden (1959-2022) and Michael L. Madden (1966-2023), along with Barbara Garrett, Mary Lou Blevins and Ronnie Madden.

He graduated from Huntsville High School and worked at Boss Manufacturing Co. in Oneida.

Vietnam War

PFC Madden enlisted in the U.S. Army on Aug. 9, 1966, and was assigned to the 9th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. He left for Vietnam on Jan. 13, 1967. He was killed on Feb. 26, 1967 during a raid in Payninah. At the time of his death, he was the third graduate of Huntsville High School to die in the war, the Knoxville News Sentinel reported.

Aftermath

PFC Madden’s body was returned to Scott County and he was buried at Reed Cemetery at New River, where his parents are also buried.

He received the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star. He is listed on the VFW Post 5669 Memorial Wall in Oneida, the Scott County Veterans Memorial in Huntsville, the East Tennessee Veterans Memorial in Knoxville, and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.