"Our son was a quiet lovable, sensitive boy, or should I say man," his mother wrote, "Mike" Vitale had always wanted to be a Marine. He admired the uniform, but more than that he admired what it stood for. Vitale was an electrician's helper at Sun Shipbuilding Co. in Chester and planned to return there after Vietnam, The 1966 Father Judge High School graduate "wanted to get his tour of duty for his country over with before he got on with his life," recalled his mother. The private first class enlisted with the Marines in August 1968 and was assigned to Company F of the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division. Vitale, a rifleman, was killed in Quang Nam Province on April 14, 1969, during "Operation Oklahoma Hills. He was 20 years old. Survivors included his parents, a brother and a sister.