Chick Donohue: Difference between revisions
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'''John "Chickie" Donohue''' (born 1941) is |
'''John "Chickie" Donohue''' (born 1941) is a [[United States Marine]] Veteran, [[merchant seaman]] and [[Trade union|trade unionist]].<ref>{{cite news |author1=Mike McAlary |title=Brothers under the skin |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/legacy/406659432/ |access-date=20 August 2022 |work=[[New York Daily News]] |date=20 June 1990 |page=4 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}} {{closed access}}</ref> He is best known for his 1968 journey through [[Vietnam]] where he delivered beer to several United States [[Military personnel|service members]] during the height of the [[Vietnam War]]. |
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==Early life== |
==Early life== |
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Revision as of 17:45, 22 September 2022
John Donohue | |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Chick, Chickie |
| Born | 1941 (age 82–83) New York City, United States |
| Service/ | United States Marines |
| Years of service | 1958–1964 |
| Battles/wars | Battle of Khe Sanh |
John "Chickie" Donohue (born 1941) is a United States Marine Veteran, merchant seaman and trade unionist.[1] He is best known for his 1968 journey through Vietnam where he delivered beer to several United States service members during the height of the Vietnam War.
Early life
A native of Inwood, New York, Donohue served in the Philippines and Japan with the United States Marines from 1958 to 1964.[2]
Vietnam beer run
Influenced by anti-war demonstration and George Lynch, a bartender at a local bar named Doc Fiddler's, in November 1967, Donohue set out on a four-month journey to bring beer to several enlisted men from his neighborhood who were deployed in Vietnam. He landed a job on a merchant ship taking ammunition from New York to Qui Nhon, Vietnam, where he arrived on January 19, 1968, and handed out the first beer, to Tom Collins, a member of the 127th Military Police Company and Donohue's childhood friend. He later travelled to A Shau Valley where he brought beer to two additional Inwood natives, Kevin McLoone and Rick Duggan, and participated briefly in the Battle of Khe Sanh. The following day, he set out for Saigon where he handed out his last beer, to Bobby Pappas, a communications specialist in the Army. Having missed the return voyage of his merchant ship, he had to wait for some time before getting a passport and visa through the U.S. Consulate. On the day of his flight out of Saigon, the Tet Offensive started, leaving him stranded in the country. He later latched on as an oiler on a merchant ship destined for New York where he arrived on April 1, 1968.[2][3][4][5]
Later life
In 1970, Donohue bought Doc Fiddler's and ran it for several years.[3] He later was a trade unionist.[6]
In media
Donohue is portrayed by Zac Efron in the biographical action comedy film The Greatest Beer Run Ever, directed by Peter Farrelly.[7][8]
References
- ^ Mike McAlary (20 June 1990). "Brothers under the skin". New York Daily News. p. 4. Retrieved 20 August 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Eric Spitznagel (7 November 2020). "Meet the New Yorker who brought beers to his buddies in the Vietnam War". New York Post. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
- ^ a b David Kindy (10 October 2021). "A Man, A Mission, And The Greatest Beer Run Ever". HistoryNet. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
- ^ Corey Kilgannon (29 May 2017). "A Daring Beer Run to Soldiers in Vietnam, Recounted Yet Again". New York Times. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
- ^ Robin Young; Serena McMahon (11 November 2020). "Memoir tells tale of one man's 'Greatest Beer Run Ever' to friends serving in Vietnam". WBUR (in Icelandic). Retrieved 18 September 2022.
- ^ Jimmy Breslin (8 July 1984). "He digs going to Frisco". New York Daily News. p. 8. Retrieved 18 September 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Adam Starkey (17 August 2022). "Zac Efron delivers booze in a war zone in 'The Greatest Beer Run Ever' trailer". NME. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
- ^ Samantha Bergeson (17 August 2022). "'The Greatest Beer Run Ever': Zac Efron Enters the Vietnam War with a Six-Pack in True Story". Yahoo!. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
