Glen Ellyn in DuPage County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Thomas B. Duffy Jr.

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, June 13, 2026

1. Thomas B. Duffy Jr. Marker

Inscription. PFC 173rd Airborne Brigade
Glenbard West 1963 graduate
Killed in action Vietnam War June 22, 1967

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Education • War, Vietnam. A significant historical date for this entry is June 22, 1967.

Location. 41° 52.665′ N, 88° 3.687′ W. Marker is in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, in DuPage County. It is on Crescent Boulevard 0.1 miles east of Park Boulevard, on the right when traveling east. The marker is near a tree in Spalding Point, a park across the street from Glenbard West High School and just west of its football field. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Glen Ellyn IL 60137, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Greater Chicago.

It is also in the American Midwest

and on the Great Lakes.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture

and also the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: John F. Scull Jr.

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(a few steps from this marker); Robert F. Morgan (a few steps from this marker); Bruce Capel (within shouting distance of this marker); Gold Star Mothers (within shouting distance of this marker); Civil War Veterans (within shouting distance of this marker); Spalding's Point (within shouting distance of this marker); Heroes of Freedom Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Glen Ellyn's First Train (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Glen Ellyn.

More about this marker. The marker is one of four erected in front of trees as memorials to graduates of Glenbard West High School who died in Vietnam. The school is located across the street.

Regarding Thomas B. Duffy Jr.. Thomas Duffy was one of 76 men killed on June 22, 1967, in a fight that would go on to be called the Battle of the Slopes. He was 22 years old when he died and is buried at Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Hillside, Illinois, about 10 miles east of this memorial.

Duffy was part of Company A, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Airborne Infantry, 173rd Airborne Brigade, which along with Company C was sent to the Đắk Tô region

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, June 13, 2026

2. Thomas B. Duffy Jr. Marker

as part of Operation Greeley to remove North Vietnamese troops (the PAVN) from the heavily forested region. On the morning of June 22, Company A was moving up a ridge when it was ambushed by PVAN troops. Due to the terrain, other American troops struggled to help, and artillery and air support was also rendered mostly useless due to the vegetation. Of A Company's 137 men, roughly 75 were killed and another two dozen wounded. When additional U.S. forces reached the company the next day, more than half of the dead were found with head wounds inflicted at close range, indicating that they may have been executed.

Also see . . .
1. Vietnam Veterans Memorial Virtual Wall: Thomas B. Duffy Jr. (Submitted on June 15, 2026, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)
2. Revitalized park to honor Glen Ellyn veterans. A 2013 article in the Daily Herald looks at the restoration of Spalding Point, a park across the street from Glenbard West. (Submitted on June 15, 2026, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)

3. The Battle of the Slopes. A website called Dak To Memories looks at the Battle of the Slopes, on June 22, 1967.

Thomas B. Duffy Jr. Marker near Glenbard West High School image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, June 13, 2026

3. Thomas B. Duffy Jr. Marker near Glenbard West High School

Glen Ellyn's Thomas Duffy was among the many men killed in this engagement.

Excerpt: "There were many individual battles comprising the overall Battle of Dak To, but two engagements stand out. Operation Greeley ran from June 17 to October 11, 1967 while Operation MacArthur ran from October 11, 1967 to Jan 31, 1968. The Battle for Hill 875 is perhaps the best-known engagement of operations Greeley and McArthur, on Thanksgiving 1967, but the Battle of the Slopes that took place on June 20-22, 1967, is also well known for the casualties our soldiers suffered."

(Submitted on June 15, 2026, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)

Troops of the 173rd Airborne during Operation Greeley image. Click for full size.

Courtesy of Library of Congress, 1967

4. Troops of the 173rd Airborne during Operation Greeley

Glen Ellyn native Thomas B. Duffy Jr. was a member of a company of men from the 173rd Brigade who were ambushed by North Vietnamese troops on June 22, 1967. He was one of 76 men killed that day in what would go to be called the Battle of the Slopes.

Credits. This page was last revised on June 21, 2026. It was originally submitted on June 14, 2026, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. This page has been viewed 12 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on June 14, 2026, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. 4. submitted on June 15, 2026, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.