FACES FROM THE WALL

MONTANA and VIETNAM WAR

January 1968 - Febuary 1968


    James Francis FUHRMAN

Birth 1945-08-14  Rank 1LT  Date of Death1968-01-04 
P. of birth   Service US Army  PlaceBinh Duong South Vietnam 
Town of
Record 		Larslan, Montana  Unit II FF, Btry B, 5th Bn, 2nd Artillery Death Code Hostile, Died-Gun, Small Arms Fire-Ground Casualty 
Hometown Larslan  service # O5424454  Panel33E - Row 036 
Married Single  MIA - BR  Medals Purple Heart  
Tour Date 1967-10-08  Comment   Cemetery 

    Ronald Hal DERENBURGER

Birth 1946-11-05  Rank SGT  Date of Death1968-01-18 
P. of birth   Service US Army  PlaceTay Ninh South Vietnam 
Town of
Record 		Miles City, Montana  Unit 25th Inf Div, C Co, 2nd Bn, 14th Infantry Death Code Hostile, Died-Gun, Small Arms Fire-Ground Casualty 
Hometown Miles City   service # 56407659  Panel34E - Row 067 
Married Single  MIA - BR  Medals Purple Heart  
Tour Date1967-02-18   Comment   Cemetery 

    Dennis Wayne SONSTENG

Birth 1949-05-27  Rank PFC  Date of Death1968-01-31 
P. of birth Spokane Service US Marine Corp  PlaceQuang Nam South Vietnam 
Town of
Record 		Butte, Montana  Unit 1st Mar Div, 3 platoon, L Co, 3rd Bn, 7th Marines Death Code Hostile, Died-Gun, Small Arms Fire-Ground Casualty 
Hometown Butte   service # 2335135  Panel36E - Row 037 
Married Single  MIA - BR  Medals Purple Heart  
Tour Date1967-11-25   Comment   Cemetery 

Young Marine's body will be brought to Butte
    Mrs. Darlene Parini, 1030 W. Broadway, Tuesday was awaiting word from Gen. L. F. Chapman Jr., commandant of the Marine Corps, as to when the body of her son, Marien Pfc. Dennis Sonsteng, would arrive in Butte. The 18-year-old Mining City Marine was killed in action 31 Jan (1968) to Vietnam. Duggan Merrill Mortuary will be in charge of funeral arrangements.
    Word of the death of Pfc. Sonsteng was received Monday in a telegram from Gen. Chapman. The telegram said Sonsteng was killed while on patrol in the vicinity of Quang Nam. He suffered gunshot wounds in the head and body. A Marine Corps escort will accompany the body to Butte. Pfc. Sonsteng was serving with L C Co., 3rd Bn., 7th Marines.
    He was a native of Spokane where he attended grade school. He attended Butte High School before entering the Marines in June 1967. He took basic training at Camp Pendleton CA. He was Home on furlough in October and had been in Vietnam since November (1967).
    A brother, Gary, 21, just completed four years service with the Navy. He sent one year in the Vietnam area. In addition to his mother and brother, Pfc. Sonsteng is survived by a sister, Beverly, 19, a student at Butte Business College; father, Arnold Sonsteng in California; grandmother, Mrs. Minnie Jendro of Spokane, aunts and uncles in Montana, Washington, Minnesota and North Dakota.
    (Montana Standard, Butte MT, 7 Feb 1968)

    Zack Oscar ROWLAND
Birth 1944-09-29  Rank PFC  Date of Death1968-02-03 
P. of birth   Service US Army  PlacePhuoc Long South Vietnam 
Town of
Record 		Busby, Montana  Unit 101st Abn Div, HHC, 1st Bn, 327th Infantry Death Code Hostile, Died-Gun, Small Arms Fire-Ground Casualty 
Hometown Busby   service # 19831166  PanelPanel 37E - Row 013 
Married Single  MIA - BR  Medals Purple Heart  
Tour Date 1967-07-06  Comment   Cemetery 

Busby Soldier Dies in Action Army Pfc. Jack O. Rowland of Busby has been killed in action connected with the Vietnam war, the Defense Department announced Friday. Rowland, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin W. Rowland of Busby, was the 83rd Montanan to die in the war. In accord with Gov. Tim Babcock's proclamation, the U.S. flag at the Capitol in Helena will be flown at half staff when Rowland is buried. (Missoula, Missoula MT, 14 Feb 1968)

    George Percy KENDALL Jr
Birth 1930-02-06  Rank GSGT  Date of Death1968-02-04 
P. of birth Missoula Service US Marine Corp  PlaceThua Thien South Vietnam 
Town of
Record 		Missoula Unit 3d ITT was attached to 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment Death Code Hostile, Died-Gun, Small Arms Fire-Ground Casualty 
Hometown Missoula   service # 1103292  Panel37E - Row 023 
Married Single  MIA - BR  Medals Silver Star  Purple Heart Combat Action Ribbon
Tour Date1967-07-18   Comment   Cemetery 

KENDALL HALL
DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF
Gunnery Sergeant
GEORGE PERCY KENDALL, JR.
1930 - 1968
Who died while engaged in action against
hostile forces in the Republic of Vietnam.
The Silver Star was awarded posthumously to
Sergeant Kendall for his action that day.
During his tour in Vietnam he also earned
the Purple Heart and the Combat Action Ribbon.
Sergeant Kendall was graduated from the
Vietnamese Language Course in 1967.
Source data: Doug Brower, reference: Fall 1994 issue of INTSUM Magazine

S. Sgt. Kendall of Hamilton Dies in Vietnam S. Sgt. George Percy Kendall Jr., 37, Hamilton, was killed in Vietnam Sunday (4 Feb 1968). Born 16 Feb 1930, in Missoula, he attended Whittier Grade School, was graduated from Missoula County High School, and enlisted in the Marines in March of 1950. He had served in Korea and Vietnam, and it was the third time he had been in action at the front in Vietnam. Survivors include his mother, Mrs. Elmer (Louise) Gilbert, Hamilton; two daughters, Kristie and Sally K., both of Piltzville; a grandmother, Mrs. Sarah Gerber, Sonoma CA and a sister, Mrs. Dean Macy, Lew Halem Camp WA. funeral arrangements are pending at Squire-Simmons-Carr Rose Chapel. (Missoulian, Missoula MT, 8 Feb 1968)

    Sanford Kim ARCHER

Birth 1947-04-01  Rank LCPL  Date of Death1968-02-07 
P. of birth   Service US Marine Corp  PlaceThua Thien South Vietnam 
Town of
Record 		Melrose, Montana  Unit 3rd Mar Div, K Co, 3rd Bn, 3rd Marines Death Code Hostile, Died Wounds-Artillery, Rocket, Mortar-Ground Casualty 
Hometown Melrose   service # 2222550  Panel37E - Row 077 
Married Single  MIA - BR  Medals Purple Heart  
Tour Date1967-09-25   Comment   Cemetery 

Melrose Marine badly wounded
Lance Cpl Sanford K. Archer of Melrose is in critical condition in a Da Nang hospital after receiving shrapnel wounds in his kidneys from hostile mortar fire 1 Feb (1968) according to a Marine telegram received Sunday by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Wilbert Archer, Melrose. The telegram said Cpl. Archer and his unit, the 1st Bn, 5th Regiment, 1st Marine Division, were in defensive positions when the mortar attack came. A later telegram said the youth had developed difficulty in breathing at the station hospital. Cpl Archer, who enlisted with the 1st Montana Platoon in June 1966 was sent to Vietnam last September (1967). He encountered a Viet Cong sniper face-to-face recently. The episode was described in an article in the Montana Standard (Jan 23 1968) (Montana Standard, Butte MT, 6 Feb 1968)

Melrose Marine Dies of Wounds by the Associated Press
The Defense Department said Thursday that Marine Lance Cpl. Sanford K. Archer, Melrose, has died of wounds he received in the Vietnam War. Archer, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Wilbert A. Archer, Melrose, was wounded by mortar fire in fighting south of the demilitarized zone near Thua Thin, the department said. He died in a Da Nang hospital. Archer was the 82nd Montanan to die in the war. He entered the Marine Corps in June 1966, and was a member of the 1st Battalion, Fifth Regiment, 1st Marines. (Missoulian, Missoula MT, 10 Feb 1968)

    Gregory Allen GIFFORD

Birth 1948-03-11  Rank HM 3  Date of Death1968-02-08 
P. of birth   Service US Navy  PlaceQuang Nam South Vietnam 
Town of
Record 		Billings, Montana  Unit 3rd MAF, 2nd CA GRP, Combined Action Program Death Code Hostile, Died-Gun, Small Arms Fire-Ground Casualty 
Hometown Billings   service # 6963920  Panel38E - Row 028 
Married Single  MIA - BR  Medals Purple Heart  
Tour Date1967-07-15   Comment   Cemetery 

Billings Medic Killed in Vietnam
Gregory A. Gifford, 19, son of Mrs. Darrell P. Shelly, 936 Yale St.., was killed in action Thursday near Da Nang, South Vietnam. He was a Navy hospital corpsman, serving with the U. S. Marines. He was graduated from Billings Senior High School in 1966. He went to Vietnam last. July. Surviving are his mother and step-father; a brother, Geoffrey Gifford; maternal grandmother, Mrs. V. E. Sampsel, 108 Wyoming Ave., and paternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. H. C. Gifford, Hemet CA. (Billings Gazette, Billings MT, 12 Feb 1968)

    Lester Wesley JOHNSON Jr

Birth 1949-10-05  Rank PFC  Date of Death1968-02-08 
P. of birth   Service US Army  PlaceBien Hoa South Vietnam 
Town of
Record 		Libby, Montana  Unit Charlie Co, 3/187th Infantry, 3rd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division   Death Code Hostile, Died Wounds-Gun, Small Arms Fire-Ground Casualty 
Hometown Libby   service # 18807369  Panel38E - Row 030 
Married Single  MIA - BR  Medals Purple Heart  
Tour Date1967-12-02   Comment   Cemetery 

    Ralph Leroy WILLIAMS

Birth 1940-06-15  Rank 1LT  Date of Death1968-02-15 
P. of birth   Service US Army  PlaceGia Dinh South Vietnam 
Town of
Record 		Billings, Montana  Unit 25th Inf Div, C Co, 1st Bn, 5th Infantry Death Code Hostile, Died-Multiple Fragmentation Wounds-Ground Casualty 
Hometown Billings   service # O5334184  Panel39E - Row 056 
Married Married  MIA - BR  Medals Distinguished Service Cross, Purple Heart  
Tour Date1967-10-06   Comment   Cemetery 

    Michael W PICARD

Birth 1945-02-17  Rank SGT  Date of Death1968-02-20 
P. of birth   Service US Army  PlaceBinh Duong South Vietnam 
Town of
Record 		Bainville, Montana  Unit 1st Inf Div, C Co, 2dn Bn, 18th Infantry Death Code Hostile, Died-Multiple Fragmentation Wounds-Ground Casualty 
Hometown Bainville   service #   Panel40E - Row 047 
Married Single  MIA - BR  Medals Purple Heart  
Tour Date1967-07-27   Comment   Cemetery 

    Albert Clarence WOODS Jr
Birth 1947-02-20  Rank SGT  Date of Death1968-02-20 
P. of birth   Service US Army  PlaceBinh Thuan South Vietnam 
Town of
Record 		Hathaway, Montana  Unit 101st Abn Div, B Co, 3rd Bn, 506th Infantry Death Code Hostile, Died-Gun, Small Arms Fire-Ground Casualty 
Hometown Hathaway   service # 19880170  Panel40E - Row 049 
Married Single  MIA - BR  Medals Purple Heart  
Tour Date1967-10-03   Comment   Cemetery 

From the obituary: Miles City Star (Miles City, Montana) Sgt. Clarence Albert "Al" Woods, Jr. of Hathaway was killed in action in Vietnam on his 21st birthday, February 20, 1968. He was the 87th Montanan to die in the fighting in Vietnam. Sgt. Woods was born in Miles City, February 20, 1947, the son of Albert J. and Mary Woods of Hathaway. He attended Rosebud grade school and high schools, graduating in 1965. He attended one quarter at Rocky Mountain College in Billings and enlisted in the 101st Airborne Division (3-506th Infantry, Currahees) in April 1966. He had been in Vietnam since September. Surviving are his parents; five brothers: Frank Woods, stationed with the Navy at Great Lakes Illinois, Jerry Woods of Tongue River Stage, William, Matthew and Michael Woods of the family home in Hathaway; and two sisters: Anna (Mrs. Frank) Todoroff of Tongue River and Winona M. Woods of Hathaway." Note: Albert died during the TET Offensive, which began January 30th of 1968 and lasted until February 23rd. From "The Stand Alone Battalion" by Jerald Berry and Joe Alexander: "From February 18-20th, the Currahees were involved in many battles within the city of Phan Thiet, many times fighting house-to-house to dislodge the enemy and drive him from the city. These "Battles in the Alleys" of Phan Thiet cost the Battalion several more lives.

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