Posted by Robert B. Magruder on December 16, 1998:

While Doug was only at West Point for two years, he was able to make his mark while there and develop many friendships that he cherished. He was #1 in PE both years and for many years his picture was maintained in what is now Arvin Gym. When he was too deficient in academics to train with the corps squad track team, he did intramurals and broke the academy record for the triathelon by almost 300 points. Doug married before most of his classmates as he went off to the Univ. of Miami and met a love of his life. He graduated DMG in ROTC and they have a perpetual award at the University in Doug's name for the cadet with the highest score on the PCPT test. He never did less than max on that test. With both brothers shipping off to Vietnam ('62 USNA, '64 USMA), Doug volunteered to leave his duty at the 82d Airborne Division and also go Vietnam. He was honor graduate at the 173d Airborne Brigade course on arrival in country and after a few months was able to visit with me in Pleiku during a lull in the fighting at Dak To. I can remember sitting up all night to call home so we could both talk with our parents. He stayed the rest of the night trying to talk to his wife, "Honey". She was about 6 months pregnant at that time. Shortly afterwards I rotated back to the US and was able to be present at the birth of Douglas G. Magruder, Jr. Doug was so proud to be a father and although he was killed a few months after the birth during the big battles of Dak To, he was able to get letters and notes back to the family of his extreme pride. Doug Jr, has now grown a family to include three boys that are the spitting image of Doug. Life seems to go on, but losing a brother is not an easy thing that ever goes away. We were a year and a week apart. Doug so wanted to go to West Point that he went to the Prep School to finally get admission. The family has appreciated all of the letters and concerns from his classmates that followed his death. The Class of '66 will always have a special place in the hearts of the Magruder family.

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