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War Memorials
 

  1964     «   Vietnam Era   »     1975


A – D


A – D        E – J        K – N        O – T       U – Z  

Killed in Action     Wounded in action     POW/MIA    
 
Died during active duty     
+ Contracted disease-illness-disability during service


Brief Timeline

May 4, 1964
– Trade embargo imposed on North Vietnam in response to attacks from the North on South Vietnam
August 2 and 4, 1964 – North Vietnamese torpedo boats attacked the U.S. destroyer Maddox in the Gulf of Tonkin. A second attack allegedly occurs on August 4.
March 8, 1965 The first U.S. combat troops arrive in Vietnam.
April 6-8, 1965 – President Johnson authorizes the use of U.S. ground combat troops for offensive operations
January 23, 1973
– United States, South Vietnam, and North Vietnam sign Paris Peace Accords, ending American combat role in war. U.S. military draft ends. A cease-fire goes into effect 5 days later
March 29, 1973 – Last U.S. combat troops leave Vietnam
April 1, 1973 – Hanoi releases last 591 acknowledged American POWs
April 29-30, 1975
– Saigon falls. U. S. Navy evacuates U.S. personnel and South Vietnamese refugees. The last American combat death in Vietnam occurs. South Vietnamese President Duong Van Minh surrenders. North Vietnamese forces take over Saigon; South Vietnam surrenders to North Vietnam, ending the war and reunifying the country under communist control, forming the Independent Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Washington extends embargo to all of Vietnam
November 11, 1982
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial, "The Wall," is dedicated in Washington, D.C.

 

Allen, Sr. Kenneth M.
Ken Allen - Vietnam
US Navy
b 6-26-1942         d 6-3-2004
                        Michigan City IN
Age 61y, 11m, 10d

1962 – Honorable Discharge

Ken’s brother, David Allen,
served in the US Navy during Vietnam. 
His father, Marion Allen Jr.,
served during WW2. 
Kens’ son,
Kenneth M. Allen Jr.
served in the US Navy 1987-1989

Attend Hartford High School until enlistment into the Navy.

Loved NASCAR, working on cars as a mechanic and auto body repairman.

Son of Marion and Lena (Bouma) Allen Jr.

Ken lived with his family in Winnie, TX at the time of his death. He died as a result of an automobile accident in Michigan City IN.


4-2007 – information submitted by his son, Kenneth Allen Jr.
11-8-2007 – photo submitted by his daughter, Michelle Hoyt.
 

Allen, David
David Allen - Vietnam
US Navy – E4
Vietnam

In service 1964-1968


HHS Class of 1966
From Hartford MI

Dave’s Vietnam Friend
 

Son of Marion and Lena Allen Jr.

David’s brother, Kenneth M. Allen Sr., served in the Navy during Vietnam Era. 
His father, Marion Allen Jr.,
served during WW2.
David’s nephew, Kenneth M. Allen Jr.,
served in the US Navy 1987-1989.


 



Ament, Michael

US Navy
USS Forrestal

 

In service 1966 to 19__

HHS Class of 1963
From Hartford MI

 
 
Asaro, Dan
Dan Asaro - Vietnam
U.S. Army – Sergeant
101st Airborne
b 8-11-1950     d 2-9-2016
 Detroit MI     Hartford MI
 Age 65y, 6m, 1d

In service
1968 to 1971

Son of
Anthony and Florence (Robinson) Asaro

Married to
Sharon Woodall Asaro

Retired in June, 2015 from
Edgewater Automation
St Joseph MI

Member of
The Chapel Evangelical Free Church
St Joseph MI
 
 

Bachman, Richard G.

Baker JR, Frank Christ
Barnes, Tom (Daughterty)
US Army – Sp4

 

In service
1964 –

One of the HHS 1964 graduates that entered the service with a classmate on the buddy plan was Marvin Stow. We shared training in an airborne training unit at Ft. Knox KY.  We both took our oaths 5 days after graduating from high school. 

Richard Bachman - Vietnam
US Army – SP5 E5
Artillery Surveyor
Germany

In service 
12-15-1967 to 11-25-1969
Honorable Discharge

HQ BTRY, 6th Battalion
10th Arty USA REUR
 Bamberg, Germany

Ft Knox, Louisville KY
Ft Sill, OK

Medals
» National Defense 
Service Medal
» Marksman M14

HHS Class of 1966

From Hartford MI

Son of
Donald and Alice (Snyder) Bachman

Married to
Ernestine Green HHS 1966

Rick’s father-in-law, Ernest H. Green,
served in the Army 1945-1947.  Brother-in-law, Laurel Dale Green, served in the Air Force during Vietnam 1968-1973.
 

Frank Christ Baker Jr. - USAF - 1966-70
US Air Force – SGT E4
47151 Auto Repairman (CDC)
b 1-23-1943
So. Haven MI

In service
8-30-1968 to 8-30-1970 Reserves
8-31-1964 to 8-30-1968 Active Duty

Training:
Auto Rpmn (CDC), Multi Fuel Engine, OJT Training/Supv.

Awards and Medals
» National Defense Medal
» Vietnam Service Medal
» Air Force Good Conduct Medal
»
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon (SAEMR)
» AFM 900-3

From South Haven MI
SHHS Class of 19__

2004 update:
Resides in Hartford MI
 

Baxter, Edward 

Beam, Robert

Bigelow, Jan


Edward Baxter - Vietnam
US Air Force

Served in England


In service 1965 – 

from HHS Class of 1966

From: Watervliet MI

 Resided in Hartford
 from 1962-1965

 

Bob Beam - Vietnam
US Air  Force – E4
Air Rescue Team
832nd Security Police Co. 


Served in
Bien Hoa, Vietnam 
Clovis, New Mexico

 

In Service 1967-1970
18 years old
  

            Wounded in Action

      Awards and Medals

» Recipient of the Purple Heart
»
Vietnam Service medal
» Vietnam Campaign medal 
           »  National Defense
Ribbon
           »
Presidential Unit Citation for
              involvement in the Tet Offensive of      
              1968 among others.

HHS Class of 1966
From Hartford MI

 

Newspaper Article1
Article 2

Article 3
Robert Beam - VNam


Bob is the son of Clare H. Beam, who served during WW11.  His great grandfather, John Jordan Beam, served during the Civil War.  Bob’s son, Richard Alan Beam, served during the Persian Gulf War-Desert Storm.  Another son, Robert Beam II, served during 1993-1997 in the USMC.

 

Jan Bigelow - VietN
US Army-Navy
MOSC 20 – Spec 5
PBR, Patrol Boat River
b 3-10-1947
St. Joseph MI

In Service
1968-1970

Served in South Vietnam

Awards and Medals

From Hartford
HHS Class of 1968

Resided in Hartford 1947-1980

Jan’s brother, David Bigelow,
served in the US Navy during Vietnam
 

Bigelow, David W.
US Navy
b 4-11-1942          d 1-16-2010
 Lawrence MI    Wilkes-Barre PA
Age 67y, 9m, 8d

In service
1964 – 1968

From Hartford MI
HHS Class of 1960

Son of
Walter and Ann Bailey Bigelow

Married to
Agnes Demchishin Bigelow

David’s brother, Jan Bigelow, served in the Army-Navy during Vietnam.
 

Birmele, Raymond

In Service 196_ to 19__

HHS Class of 1966

From Hartford MI

Ray’s father, Marvin E. Birmele,
served during WW11.

 

Bisbee, Terry Lee



Wounded in Action

Awards and Medals:

» Award of the Army Commendation metal 
for heroism with "V" device.
» Received 8 Air Medals. 
Five Oak Leaf Clusters to 
an air medal. Each oak leaf cluster signified 25 or more combat missions in hostile territory in Vietnam. Flew at least 200 combat missions.
» Meritorious Unit Citation
» Valorous Unit Award
» Vietnam Expeditionary Medal
» Purple Heart – for injuries sustained in Vietnam when a machine gun aboard a helicopter exploded. Bisbee was crew chief of the helicopter.
   

View photo of Terry with his helicopter and a special photo that appeared in Time Life Magazine in 1964.

Read letter Terry wrote from Vietnam
to his Mother about the Purple Heart
award and conditions of the battle front at that time.


Terry Bisbee - VNam
US Army – SP6
b 12-13-1937    d11-15-1995
Age 57y, 11m, 4d

Flight Engineer, 
Chinook Helicopter
with at least 
200 combat missions

120th Aviation and 
Attached Units 1964-1965

145th Aviation Battalion

In service 1956 to 1976
Served 3 terms in Vietnam

Member of the 
HHS Class of 1956.
Did not graduate from 
Hartford, but left school 
to enter service.
+At age 57, Terry died 
in 1995 of cancer from agent orange used during the Vietnam War. Thanks to Terry’s sister,  Peggy Harris, for providing this information. Beautiful photos came from the website of his daughter, 
Carole Breidenbach.  
View other photos at 

www.geocities.com/shy_tiggress.

June 28, 1967
The Hartford Day Spring


      
Sp-6 Terry L Bisbee, son of Mr. and Mrs. Augustus Bisbee recently received an award of the Army Commendation medal for heroism with "V" device.  
     In the letter sent home to his parents, signed by Daniel B. Pyler, Adjutant General, and Co. George W. Casey, Chief of Staff, it read:
     For heroism in connection with military operation against a hostile force. Sp-6 Bisbee distinguished himself by heroism in action on April 5, while serving as flight engineer of
a CH-47 Chinook helicopter during a night troop extraction near Song Mao, Republic of Vietnam. On this date he demonstrated courage and  professional competence while leading his crew and directing his aircraft into a small, unmarked clearing close to hostile force. While maintaining a watchful eye on critical components of his helicopter, he was continuously alert for North Vietnamese snipers. Due to the successful completion of the night extraction under trying conditions, the high moral and fighting spirit of the infantry unit was maintained.  Spec. Bisbee’s courageous action is in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.

 

Terry’s brother, Nyle Bisbee, served
in the U.S. Army during Korea.

 
Burg, Donald L. Blakeman, Mark D.  
 

Mark Blakeman - VNam
US Army
   b 8-17-1949           d 8-9-2011
Benton Harbor MI      Hartford MI

In service
19__ to 19__

Son of
Jack & Margarite Vertifeulle Blakeman

 

 

Burgess Jr., Freeman

 

 


Freeman Burgess Jr. - VNam
US Army
b 8-25-1948            d 3-26-2008
Winter Haven FL    Berrien Center MI
Age  59y, 7m, 1d
Buried at
Shore Memory Gardens
Hagar Shores
MI

In service
1968 – 1970

Son of
Freeman and
Annie Mae (Matthews) Burgess Sr.

Married to
Donna Paul Burgess

Retired from Bosch Braking Systems in April 2004 after 37 1 2 years of service.

Last resided in Hartford MI
 

 

Brinsfield, Dale
US Army
Vietnam
b 10-31-1944     d 12-30-2014
                         Hartford MI
Age 70y, 2m, 1d

From HHS class of 1966

In service
196_ to 196_

Wounded in action
Received gunshot wounds to the abdomen and left eye.
Awarded the Purple Heart on November 17, 1967.  

Son of
Marion & Roy Brinsfield

Married to
Barbara Alden Brinsfield


Instrumental in the establishment of
 Vietnam Memorial in Ely Park.

Dale maintained the grounds around
the memorial at the park.

Brothers Kenneth and Robert Brinsfield served in the US Army during the Vietnam Era.

Brinsfield, Kenneth Charles
Small Arms Specialist
610th Maintenance Battalion
US Army
Vietnam
b 1-12-1948   d 12-24-1999
Age 51y, 11m, 13d
Buried in Maple Hill Cemetery
Hartford MI

In service 19__ to 19__

From HHS Class of 19__
From Hartford MI

Son of
Marion & Roy Brinsfield

Brothers Dale and Robert Brinsfield served in the US Army during the Vietnam Era.

 

Brinsfield, Robert Lee
Co C 4th Bn, 35th Armor
US Army
Vietnam
b 2-28-1949     d 9-17-1977
Age 28y, 6m, 20d
Died at Dowagiac MI
Buried in Maple Hill Cemetery
Hartford MI

In service
1966-1967

AWARDS
2 Silver Stars

From Hartford MI
HHS Class of 19__
Graduate of
Paw Paw High School

Son of
Marion & Roy Brinsfield

Brothers Kenneth and Dale Brinsfield served in the US Army during the Vietnam Era.


Information submitted 1-2003
by niece, Kristen Downey Dixon.
 

Brodock, Ronald Martin
US Army – SP4
b 12/1/1952    d 7/15/1999
                     Hartford MI
Age 47y, 6m, 3d
Buried at
Ft. Custer National Cemetery
Augusta MI 
Plot: Q 0 202

Last residence – Hartford MI

 

Brunais, Frank
US Army – MSG E-8 (Ret)
b 10-12-1947
Manistee MI
+ Contracted disease-illness-disability during service

In service
1965-1989

Served in
1986-1989 – Chief 12F
1985-1986 – 2nd Engr Bn, Camp Pelham
S. Korea
1978-1981 – 23d Engr Bn Hanau Germany
1975-1978 – Ft L Wood, Drill Sgt, Instructor
1966-1975 – 58th Engr Co Fulda Germany  1965 – Ft Leonard Wood Mo, 5th Enger Bn

From Hartford MI,
HHS Class of 1965

Resided in Hartford 1955-1965

12-2005 Update
Dr. Frank Brunais retired from the US Army in 1989.  Now resides in Waynesville MO and has served as Pastor of Victory Fellowship Church since retirement.

 

Cade, David

David Cade - VNam

In service 19__ to 19__

From Hartford MI
Class of 1963

Married to
Susan Taylor Cade HHS 1963

David’s father, Fred Cade, served in the US Marine Corps during WW2. His father-in-law, Verl Taylor, served in the Air Force during Korea.
 

Clemens JR., Corydon (Butch)
Butch Clemens - VNam
US ARMY – Sp4
Vietnam
 

In service 1966-1969
 

HHS Class of 1966

From Hartford MI

 

Conklin, Donald F.
US Navy
Airman Apprentice

In service
19__ to 19__

Served on
USS Hornet – Aircraft Carrier
Anti-submarine warfare support

Served in
Vietnam

Attended
Hartford High School

Son of
Mr. and Mrs. William Gratzle

 

Coon, Timothy J.
Timothy J. Coon  d 9-3-2007
US Navy
b 2-18-1947          d 9-3-2007
                          
Fargo ND
Age 60y, 6m, 16d
Interment at
Watervliet Cemetery
Watervliet MI

In service 19__ to __

HHS Class of 1967

Son of Kenneth & Laura Coon
 

Csepregi Jr., John

US Navy – Seaman E3

In service
1968-1972

Served in
Vietnam and Connecticut

Medals and Awards
»
Navy Unit Commendation
»
Meritorious Unit
»
MUC Gallantry Grass Run

From Benton Harbor MI
BHS Class of 1967

Resided in Hartford since 1978.

7-1-2004 Photo and information
submitted via Bill Dyer
 

Daisy, Richard Lee
US Army
S Sgt
b 3-17-1947      d 3-23-1979
Age 31y, 11m, 28d
Buried in
Maple Hill Cemetery
Section 5 – Lot 90 E1/2
Hartford MI 

In service
19__  to 19__

Davis, Carl

Davis, James Jefferson


Carl Davis - VNam
US Army

Served in Vietnam

In service 19__ to 19__
From Keeler MI

HHS Class of 1965

Son of
Jefferson James and
Vivian Myers Davis HHS


Carl’s brother, James Davis,
served in the
US Army National Guard.
 


James Jefferson Davis - US Army National Guard
US Army – National Guard
b 8-8
-1944      d 4-27-2012
                      Dowagiac MI
Age 67y, 8m, 20d



In service 19__ to 19__

From Keeler MI

HHS Class of 1962

Son of
Jefferson James and
Vivian Myers Davis HHS


Jim’s brother, Carl Davis,
also served in the US Army.
 

Deckert, Ronald
US Army 
23rd Infantry (Americal)
Instructor

In service 1967 to 1970
Vietnam and 
1984 to ? 
Middle East and Germany

From HHS Class of 1966
From Hartford MI

Resides in Kansas
 

DeLoach, Carl
US Army
b 4-14-1944               d 10-12-2014
Lopanto Ark                 Hartford MI

Son of
 Norman and Zelma (Blevens) DeLoach

Married to
Monica Shafer

Resided in
Hartford MI

Retired from
Love Joy, South Haven MI

Disbrow, Roger Glenn
US Army
   
b 11-1-1943           d 12-23-2006
Brisbane Australia       Hartford MI
Age 63y, 1m, 23d

In Service
19__ to 19__

From Hartford
HHS Class of 1962

Dockter Jr.,  Frank A.

Hartford Medic is Hero in Viet Nam



US Army – Medic
Specialist 4th Class
b 11-15-1944

In service 1965 – 1967

Cu Chi, Vietnam

Awards
»
Army Commendation
 with "V" device
» Combat Medic Badge
» Good Conduct Medal
» Vietnam Campaign Medal
» Vietnam Service Medal
» National Defense Service Medal


HHS Class of 1963


Resided in Harford 1944-1973
Returned to Hartford in 2004.

Information submitted by Frank’s daughter, Dana Goetter, who comments,

 "He is a wonderful man who is
NEVER in a bad mood!!!"
 

 


Dockter gets medal for saving four

     HARTFORD – Pfc. Frank Dockter, Jr., an army medic in Viet Nam, has been decorated for heroism for helping to save four soldiers from a flaming helicopter.  He is the son of Mary Dockter. His wife, the former Sharon Kelly, lives at Watervliet.
     Pfc. Dockter was awarded the army commendation medal for his life-saving action.  The citation from his commanding officer which accompanied the medal read:

    "Pfc. Dockter was loading equipment on resupply helicopters which were operating in support of combat operations against a hostile force.
    "At 1715 hours a helicopter on a resupply mission crashed on the north end of the 25th infantry division’s airstrip, turned over on its side and burst into flames.
     "There was imminent danger of an explosion.
     "With complete disregard for his own personal safety, he ran to the helicopter to assist in the evacuation of the pilot, co-pilot, crew chief and door gunner, helping to free the injured personnel from the burning aircraft.
     "The fact that some survived the crash is a credit to his instantaneous reactions.
     "This outstanding display of aggressiveness, devotion to duty and personal bravery is in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, his unit, the 25th infantry division and the United States army."

     Pfc. Dockter was drafted last Oct. 4 and received basic training at Fort Sam Houston, San  Antonio, Tex. He has been in Viet Name since April 28. The action for which he was awarded the medal took place on May 19.
     In a letter to his mother, Pfc. Dockter said he was told a day in advance that he was to receive a medal, but that he didn’t know what it was for until it was presented to him.

Hartford Day Spring
 June 9, 1966

 

Dodd, David
National Guard

In service 19__ to 19__

HHS Class of 1966
From Keeler MI

 

Downey, Michael D.
US Army
Helicopter Mechanic
Specialist 4th Class
b 9-22-1949

In service 1969 – 1970

Vietnam

From Coloma MI
CHS Class of 1967

Resident of Hartford
1969 to present


Information submitted on 2/1/2003
by his daughter,
Kristen Downey Dixon
 

 

Drake, Thomas



US Army

In service 19__ to 19__

HHS Class of 1966
From Hartford MI
 


This site will change when names and photos become available.  Check back often for updates.  Please use the
on-line submission form OR email the webmaster if you have any information on anyone who served in the military and lived in Hartford OR Keeler at any time during their life.  I would appreciate knowing of any incorrect or incomplete  information displayed on the site.