Sgt. Merle R. Higgins

-Vietnam War-

Black-and-white portrait of Merle in his U.S. Army service uniform and cap, wearing glasses.

Photo: https://www.virtualwall.org/dh/HigginsMR01a.htm

Introduction

This mini digital exhibit presents materials about Merle R. Higgins, Sgt., US Army.

Merle was a beloved son and brother, and was a friend to many. Friends from his small, Pennsylvania town and friends from the Army alike remember Merle’s smile and humor.

Merle was part of 2nd Platoon, Bravo Company, 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division, also known as the Manchus. He was killed in action on June 5, 1969 by a claymore mine in the Tay Ninh Province.

Materials appearing in the collection were graciously provided for use by Merle’s sister, Nell Higgins, as well as by long-time Vietnam veteran advocate, Rita Adams (Fulton, MO).

Key Dates

Born: August 6, 1947
Drafted/Bootcamp: February 12, 1968
Arrival in Vietnam: January 5, 1969
Killed in Action: June 5, 1969

Merle’s Signature Personality

Nell Higgins, "The Growing Up," in Merle’s Story. (Greenville, PA: Beaver Pond Publishing, 2003), 7.

Higgins, Merle’s Story, 8.

Higgins, Merle’s Story, 20.

Higgins, Merle’s Story, 22.

Black-and-white high school portrait of Merle Robert Higgins, labeled with his name and nickname, “Merle.”

Close-up of Merle Higgins’s handwritten signature from the yearbook..

1965 yearbook entry listing Merle Higgins’s school activities, including Latin Club, Hi-Y, varsity letter, basketball, wrestling, class play, chorus, and prom.

1965 Jamestown High School yearbook page featuring a group photograph of Hi-Y club members, with Merle Higgins identified as vice president.

Photos from 1965 Jamestown High School yearbook. Yearbook access courtesy of JHS Principal, Brian Keyser.

Life in Vietnam

Higgins, Merle’s Story, 11.

Higgins, Merle’s Story, 17.

Silent color footage from Merle’s 8mm film showing soldiers outdoors in Vietnam.

*Video has no audio.

Clips from Merle’s 8mm film. The full film (23:22 as .avi) courtesy of Rita Adams.

Color photograph of four soldiers, including Merle Higgins, Larry DeJong, Steve Knowlton, and “Jethro,” standing together outdoors in Vietnam.

Larry DeJong (Iowa), Steve Knowlton (Florida), Merle, “Jethro” (Tennessee).

Photo and names of other soldiers from Mokane to Mole City by Stan Adams, courtesy of Rita Adams.

Color photograph of three soldiers standing beside a sandbagged position in Vietnam, with a fire extinguisher between them.

Photo courtesy of Rita Adams.

Life Goes On

Higgins, Merle’s Story, 31-32.

Color photograph of Merle’s childhood home and his rusted vintage car parked on the lawn, where the car remained after January 1969.

Closer view of Merle’s rusted vintage car sitting on the grass beside his childhood home, where it remained after January 1969.

Merle’s childhood home and his car where it sat since January 1969.

Photos approximately late 1990s. Courtesy of Keith Rodgers.

Advocacy for Remembrance

Ticket for a special pre-release screening of Manchu: A Brotherhood of Sacrifice, directed by Matt Wilcox, held May 18, 2024, at William Woods University in Fulton, Missouri.

Close-up of a commemorative Manchu: A Brotherhood of Sacrifice challenge coin honoring 428 who gave all, with red and yellow stripes and the date May 18, 2024.

Commemorative Manchu: A Brotherhood of Sacrifice challenge coin featuring the 9th Infantry Regiment insignia and Vietnam War dates 1966–1970.

Merle is featured in the documentary titled Manchu: A Brotherhood of Sacrifice, directed by Matt Wilcox.

It is available to stream for free on PBS.

Commemorative ticket and challenge coin courtesy of Rita Adams.

Every Story Matters.

2003 Record-Argus newspaper article titled “Jamestown woman remembers brother killed in Vietnam by writing book,” featuring Nell Higgins holding her book, Merle’s Story, and a photograph of Merle in Vietnam.

Continuation of the 2003 Record-Argus newspaper article about Nell Higgins preserving the memory of her brother, Merle Higgins, who was killed in Vietnam.

Article from The Record-Argus, Greenville, PA, 2003. Courtesy of Keith Rodgers.

Related Materials

American flag flying above a row of military service flags against a blue sky.

Please refer to the materials below for further information on Merle and the Manchus.

Information/Tributes for Merle:

Manchu Related:

View: Collection Metadata (.csv)

Hometown hero banner honoring Sergeant Merle R. Higgins, featuring his Army portrait and the words “U.S. Army South Vietnam.”

Digital Exhibit curated by: Megan Rodgers, MLIS

Materials featured in this exhibit are shared for historical preservation, educational use, and remembrance. Please respect the integrity of the collection and do not reproduce or redistribute without permission.