Hey all,

I just registered for this site. I spent half of yesterday just browzing the site. It is excellent and amazing!

I live in Selinsgrove PA and was born in 68.

The reason I'm here (hope you guys don't mind my intrusion) is that I am the son of Sgt. Leighton S Etter (Sr.) and I am just trying to get any info. someone might be willing to share.

I was adopted as a baby and never knew who my birth-parents were. I knew my father was a Marine and though I didn't know who he was, I knew he couldn't be too bad, he was a Marine:). To make a long story short, a couple of years ago my birth-mother found me and we made contact. It was a great experience! She told me that she knew where my father was and asked if I wanted to make contact with him. I figured, why not. We talked on the phone briefly and said we would meet but we had set no particulars on this meeting. He was living in New Orleans and working as a bartender on Burbon Street. Then in another month he was diagnosed with cancer and given only a few months to live. I immediately made arrangements to meet with him.

Leighton only dated my mother for a short time when she got pregnant (you know those virile Marines). He wanted to marry her but the families got in the way and told him that I wasn't his and forced my mother to give me up for adoption. There are no hard feeling on my side. I was raised by excellent parents.

When Leighton and I met he wasn't too sure about the facts and was hinting that a blood test might be in order. Then I broke out the photo album of me as a kid, the resemblance was undeniable and Leighton agreed that we must be kin.

Over the next 7-9 months my wife and I were able to visit only a couple of times. The cancer gave him a short reprieve but came back with a vengence and I had to make another emergency flight to New Orleans. This was my last trip to see him. I stayed there for the funeral. It was amazing. We had a jazz band, a full Marine Color Guard, then the family and friends. Everything happened so suddenly that a lot of people in the Quarter didn't get wind of the funeral but as the procession wound through the Quarter it picked up people along the way and by the time we reached our destination (Johnny White's Hole In The Wall) we had the street completely blocked and a police escort. We also had a fly-over that wasn't supposed to be allowed. Thank you for who ever it was! Anyway, we drank to Leighton's Memory (the Marines hit the Wild Turkey and I couldn't keep up...imagine that!). Medal of Honor recipient Mike Clausen was there. Great guy!! I think he was Leighton's Crew Chief.

So that is the story. I know that my dad was treated like a native son in N'awlins even though he was only there ten years. He spent time in New York State helping to set up some veteran organizations and he was originally from Mercersburg PA. I believe he was with HMM-263. He was a left door-gunner in a CH-46 stationed at Marble Mountain.

Leighton's wife Lucy lives in New Orleans and he has two sons (including myself) and a daughter, that we know of :D.

Good (or bad) I am just looking for some info or stories about Leighton from a period in his life that I have no access to. I know that after the war he was a bartender, a nudist, and an excellent cook. Thank you for your time.