One of nine children, "Buddy" Farrington planned to follow his father into the plumbing trade. The 20-year-old was a varsity swimmer at Cardinal Dougherty High School and a golf caddy at Melrose Country Club before his 1966 graduation. He was drafted into the Army in September 1966 and shipped out to Vietnam in February 1967. He was assigned to Company A of the 1st Battalion, 2nd infantry, 1st Infantry Division. The private first class, a radio-telephone operator, was killed on May 1, 1967, while on a search and destroy mission. Survivors include his parents, five brothers and three sisters.