State Heroes

Lance Corporal Douglas Milton Kelly

Dickinson, ND

Vietnam Conflict

Branch of Service: Marines

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: Company K

Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent:3rd Battalion

Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent:1st Marine Division

Date of Loss: July 28, 1968 / Age: 21

On the morning of 28 July Company K moved out from the village complex of Da Hoa in an area known to the Marines as "DODGE CITY' towards the east, the third platoon began to receive some harassing rifle fire which ceased abruptly.

Sergeant Gerald Dean Klein

Vietnam Conflict

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: Company D

Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent:1st Battalion

Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent:1st Infantry Division

Date of Loss: May 04, 1968 / Age: 22

Sergeant Klein was killed in action in Bien Hoa, South Vietnam from hostile multiple fragmentation wounds. 

Captain Robert John Himler

Williston, ND

Vietnam Conflict

Branch of Service: Marines

Date of Loss: August 24, 1968 / Age: 25

During Operation MAMELUKE THRUST, a helicopter on resupply mission to ground troops in the vicinity of Le Nam (3) in the Duy Xuyen District of Quang Nam Province crashed and was consumed by fire.

Warrant Officer 1st Class John William Brinkmeyer

New England, ND

Vietnam Conflict

Branch of Service: Army

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: Headquarters Battery

Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent:4th Battalion

Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent:101st Airborne Division

Date of Loss: November 27, 1968 / Age: 22

John Brinkmeyer was killed when the Huey helicopter he was piloting was shot down during an ARA mission near FB Tomahawk by extremely heavy small arms fire during an attack on an enemy position North of Da Nang.

Private First Class William Paul Backer

Mandan, ND

Vietnam Conflict

Branch of Service: Marines

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: Company F

Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent:2nd Battalion

Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent:1st Marine Division

Date of Loss: January 12, 1968 / Age: 18

He died of wounds in Quang Tri, South Vietnam in hostile action. 

Specialist 4 William F. West III

Vietnam Conflict

Branch of Service: Navy

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: Battery D

Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent:4th Battalion

Date of Loss: August 21, 1968 / Age: 20

Died while in service in Washington, D.C.

Command Sergeant Major Laurence Cris Zietlow

New Salem, ND

Vietnam Conflict

Branch of Service: Army

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: Headquarters Company

Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent:1st Field Force

Date of Loss: October 03, 1967 / Age: 39

On September 17, 1967, SGM Zietlow of I Field Force and a SSG Wright from the 124th Transportation Command were mortally wounded in a terrorist attack in a Noncommissioned Officer's Club in Nha Trang, Vietnam. SGM Laurence C.

Private First Class Donald Jean Soby

Rugby, ND

Vietnam Conflict

Branch of Service: Army

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: Company C

Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent:1st Battalion

Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent:101st Airborne Division

Date of Loss: July 07, 1967 / Age: 20

Killed in action in Quang Ngai, South Vietnam through hostile small arms fire. 

Private First Class Wesley Craig Brenno

Larson, ND

Vietnam Conflict

Branch of Service: Marines

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: Company C

Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent:1st Battalion

Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent:1st Marine Division

Date of Loss: March 28, 1967 / Age: 22

The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Private First Class Wesley Craig Brenno (MCSN: 2310818), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving with

Private First Class Harold Edward Berg Jr

Rhame, ND

Vietnam Conflict

Branch of Service: Army

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: Company B

Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent:1st Battalion

Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent:1st Cavalry Division

Date of Loss: February 03, 1967 / Age: 19

Died of wounds he sustained in hostile action in Binh Dinh, South Vietnam.

Private Gary Michael Lochthowe

Vietnam Conflict

Branch of Service: Marines

Date of Loss: October 06, 1967 / Age: 18

Pvt. U.S. Marines, Vietnam Era-Pvt Lochthowe died from the effects of Pneumomia, and Spinal Meningitis on 10-6-1967 while serving with the Marine Corps during basic training at Camp Pendleton. He was there for only three days.

Specialist Donald G. Schrenk

Baldwin ND

Vietnam Conflict

Branch of Service: Army

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: Headquarters Company

Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent:1st Battalion

Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent:1st Infantry Division

Date of Loss: October 04, 1967 / Age: 24

Killed in action in Binh Dinh, South Vietnam from hostile small arms fire. 

Radarman 2nd Class Terry A. Estes

Vietnam Conflict

Branch of Service: Navy

Date of Loss: April 10, 1967 / Age: 22

Died in Service.

Overseas Theater of Service unknown

Not listed on Vietnam Veterans Memorial in DC

Lieutenant Colonel Gordon James Wenaas

Mayville, ND

Vietnam Conflict

Branch of Service: Air Force

Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent:314th Tactical Airlift Wing

Date of Loss: December 29, 1967 / Age: 46

On December 29, 1967, he was a crew member of a Lockheed Hercules Transport Aircraft (C-130E) on a mission in the extreme northwest corner of North Vietnam over Lai Chau Province, when contact was lost. 

1st Lieutenant Robert Joy Sime

Tolna, ND

Vietnam Conflict

Branch of Service: Army

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: Company B

Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent:5th Battalion

Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent:1st Calvary Division

Date of Loss: October 23, 1967 / Age: 27

On October 23, during Operation WALLOWA the enemy were encountered some 7 kilometers east of Thang Binh in Quang Tin Province. During the ensuing fire fight 1stLt Sime was killed in action by hostile small arms fire.

Specialist 4 Christopher Wilmer Davis

Belcourt, ND

Vietnam Conflict

Branch of Service: Army

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent: 17th Field Hospital

Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent:55th Medical Battalion

Date of Loss: March 18, 1967 / Age: 24

He died in service in South Vietnam because of illness/injury in non-hostile action.