Yes it is, 4th paragraph from the bottom.
In 1941, he dropped out of school to join the Marines. In Guadalcanal he survived the deadly blackwater fever and was returned to the States to become a drill instructor, acquiring the clipped delivery that served him well as a comedian.
If he was born '23, he would have probably been 18 when he enlisted in '41, and 19 or 20 when he was evac'ed from Guadalcanal. Then a year of recuperation before becoming a DI. And yes, they did have them that young then. He was after all a combat vet by that time.
As far as his age and birthdate, the obit I saw on TV this afternoon said he was born in 1926. It also says in some of these obits that he had to lie about his age when he enlisted -- which your article said was in 1941.
Makes you wonder if he was really 79, not 82.
At any rate, it certainly doesn't matter--he didn't make 86, but we'll excuse him for that.
I was one of the people recently using the "cone of silence" because all of us hurricane near-victims and students of caneology have been quoting the "cone of uncertainty" for the strike zone -- which always leads some of us "older" FReepers to invoke the "cone of silence," a la Maxwell.
And would you believe I use "would you believe" probably on a daily basis? What a classic!
RIP, Agent 86.