Horton, Daniel Lawrence “Danny”

Daniel Lawrence “Danny” Horton

September 28,1948 – November 10, 2010

In early 1966, at the tender age of seventeen, Dan Horton enlisted in the Marine Corps at Wayne, Michigan. Dan said that at the time he was “lost and had nowhere to go.” His Marine Corps recruiters took him to his high school and tried, along with school officials, to talk Dan into staying enrolled, but Dan was on a mission.

He arrived at Khe Sanh in June of 1967 while Bravo Company was on Hill 881 south. Dan was a rifleman in Second Platoon and was wounded while on patrol outside the Grey Sector on March 21, 1968, during the Siege of Khe Sanh.

After Vietnam, Dan was stationed at Camp Pendleton in southern California and then in Washington, D.C.

After his stint in the Corps, Dan returned to Michigan where he had a long career as an animal control officer.

When asked about his time at Khe Sanh, Dan said, with a twinkle in his eye, “It is what it is, and that’s what it is.”

Dan Horton, a Marine every day of his life since entering boot camp, passed away on November 10, 2010, the Marine Corps’ 235th birthday.

We miss Dan Horton. Semper Fidelis, Dan.

Danny is survived by his daughter Shari (Tony) MacDonald, son Scott and grandson Derek. Shari & Scott’s mother, Diane Landskroener and his dog and buddy Otis. Brothers Jim (Colette), Pat (Lorene), and sister June (Bud). He was preceded in death by parents Richard and Christena, sister Kristena (Joe) Toms. Also survived by many nieces & nephews & many, many friends, former comrades in arms and former co-workers.