Birth 04JAN47 Rank PFC Date of Death O4JUN67 P. of birth Yakima Service Army (Draft) Place Binh Long S. Vietnam Town of Record Florence Unit 25th Inf Div D Co 1st Bn 27th Inf Death Code Hostile, Died; Guns, Small Arms Fire; Ground Casualty Hometown   service # 56957213 Panel 21EAST - 58 Married Single In service   Medals Purple Heart  Tour Date 06APR67 Comment   Cemetery

First War Casualty From Western Lane
    The first casualty in the Vietnam War from Western Lane County is Private First Class Donald Lee Patterson, United States Army, 20, Florence. The soldier's father, Lester L. Patterson, who lives at 1621 20th St., was notified by telegram, delivered by Army personnel Monday afternoon that his son Donald had been killed in action in Vietnam on 4 Jun 1967.
    According to the telegram Private First Class Donald Patterson was on a combat operation when he was hit by hostile small arm fire.
    Private Patterson lived in Yakima WA until moving to Florence in 1965. He graduated in 1966 from Siuslaw High School having gone there his junior and senior years. While at Siuslaw he was on the wrestling team, and in his senior year was district champion in the 130 pound wrestling class.
    He was born in Yakima WA 4 Jan 1947. Pvt. Patterson is survived by his father Lester L. Patterson, Florence; his mother, Mrs. Betty Lee Gibson, Yakima WA; and grandmothers, Mrs. Pete Walker of Grandview ID and Mrs. Rose Engelhart, Yakima
    There are, at present, some 150 men now serving with the Armed Forces in the continental United States and overseas from Western Lane County.
    Funeral arrangements will be announced at a later date by Riverside Chapel in Florence. (Siuslaw News, Florence OR, 8 Jun 1967)
Thank you Oregon Genealogical Society

Florence GI Dies In Combat Eugene (AP) Army Pfc. Donald L. Patterson, 19, of Forence, was killed Sunday in Vietnam. Lester Patterson was notified of his son's death Tuesday. The Defense Department telegram said only that young Patterson died as a result of hostile small arms fire. He was a 1966 graduate of Siuslaw High School in Florence. (The Oregonian, Portland OR, 7 Jun 1967)

FRANCIS LEO COLLINS

Birth 08DEC46 Rank PFC Date of Death 05JUN67 P. of birth   Service Army (Draft) Place Quang Ngai S. Vietnam Town of Record Klamath Falls Unit 11th ACR G Trp 2nd Sqdr Death Code Hostile, Died; Other Explosive Devices Ground Casualty Hometown   service # 56410171 Panel 21EAST - 58 Married Single In service 1 yr Medals Purple Heart   Tour Date 01DEC66 Comment   Cemetery

Klamath Falls Soldier Killed The Defense Department announced Monday the death in Vietnam of Army Pfc. Francis L.Collins of Klamath Falls. He was the son of Mrs. Irma G. Crumrine. Collins was the 108th Oregon serviceman killed in the war since 1 Jan 1961, and the 42nd killed this year. (The Oregonian, Portland OR, Jun 1967)

DUANE SCOTT BAKER

Birth 24NOV38 Rank CAPT Date of Death 06JUN67 P. of birth Longview WA Service Air Force Place Quang Ngai, S. Vietnam Town of Record Renton WA Unit 416 TAC FTR Sqdn Death Code Hostile Died Missing; Fixed Wing - Pilot; Air Loss Crash - Land Hometown Gresham OR service # 73149 Panel 21EAST - 60 married Married In service 6 yrs Medals Purple Heart   Tour Date 24NOV66 Comment   Cemetery Willamette National Cem., Portland OR

Capt. Duane Baker Flier killed in Vietnam Capt. Duane S. Baker, 28, Portland fighter pilot, died Tuesday when his F100 was downed in Vietnam. He went to Vietnam last 24 Nov (1966) as a member of the 416th Tactical Fighter Squadron. Earlier he spent 3 1/2 years with the 417th Tactical Fighting Squadron in Germany. Born in Longview WA, Capt. Baker was graduated from Gresham High School and Oregon State University. An aeronautical enginee, he worked at Boeing Co., one year and took Air Force training in Arizona. He is survived by the widow, two children, and his parents, Mr. and Mrs. R.G. Baker, all of Portland, and a sister, Mrs. Leroy Briggs, and brother, Douglas Baker, both of Twenty-nine Palms CA. (The Oregonian, Portland OR, Thursday, 8 Jun 1967)

FRANKLIN JOHN SUMICH

Birth 23APR42 Rank SP5 Date of Death 11JUN67 P. of birth Blachly   Service Army Place S. Vietnam Town of Record Blachly Unit 18th Engineer Bde A Co 84th Eng Bn 937th Eng Grp Death Code Non Hostile, Died Other; Vehicle Loss - Crash Ground Casualty Hometown   service # 19635885 Panel 21EAST - 92 Married Single In service 8 yrs Medals   Tour Date 13MAY67 Comment   Cemetery

Eugene Man Listed Dead in Vietnam
    A Eugene woman has received word that her son, Army Specialist 5 Franklin J. Sumich, has died in Vietnam.
    Sumich, 25, son of LeEtta Sumich of 2120 Grant St., died Sunday. The Defense Department notified Mrs. Sumich that her son did not die in combat, but complete details were not immediately available.
    Sumich was born in 1942 at Blachly and attended Triangle Lake schools. He had been in the Army for eight years, spending the last two in Vietnam.
    Besides his mother, he is survived by three brothers, Stanley of Dublin CA, Donald of Highland CA, and James of Eugene, and three sisters, Marilyn, Margaret and Linda, all of Eugene. His father is deceased.
    Military services are pending under the direction of Murphy Funeral Home in Junction City.
    Sumich was the 124th Oregon man to die in the war since 1 Jan 1961, and the 15th from the Emerald Empire (Eugene Register Guard, Eugene OR, 14 Jun 1967)
Thank you Oregon Genealogical Society

Eugene Soldier reported Dead The Defense Department announced Tuesday the death in Vietnam of Army Spec. 5. Franklin J. Sumich of Eugene. Sumich, son of Mrs. Letta B. Sumich, did not die in combat. His death was the 124th of an Oregon man in the war since 1 Jan 1961, and the 43rd this year. (The Oregonian, Portland OR, 14 Jun 1967)

KENNETH CHARLES HURSE

Birth 31AUG44 Rank SGT Date of Death 12JUN67 P. of birth   Service Army Place Quang Tin S. Vietnam Town of Record Sweet Home Unit Americal Div 71st Asslt Hel Co 14th Avn Bn Death Code Hostile, Died; Air Loss, Crash - Land Helicopter - Crew Hometown   service # 19817744 Panel 21EAST - 94 Married Single In service 2 yrs Medals Purple Heart  Tour Date 03MAR66 Comment   Cemetery Lebanon IOOF Cem., Lebanon OR

HUBERT CLARENCE VAN POLL

Birth 02DEC36 Rank SSG Date of Death 15JUN67 P. of birth   Service Army Place S. Vietnam Town of Record Cottage Grove Unit Special Forces A-219 Death Code Hostile, Died Missing; Multiple Fragmentation Wounds Ground Casualty Hometown   service # 19488345 Panel 21EAST - 110 Married Single In service 12 yrs Medals Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star, Bronze Star and Purple Heart   Tour Date 18DEC66 Comment   Cemetery Willamette National Cemetery, Portland OR.

Father Receives Son's Medals A Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star, Bronze Star and Purple Heart earned in Vietnam by Sgt. Hubert C. Van Poll were presented to his father Here (Fort Lewis) Thursday. Retired Navy Chief Petty Officer Cornelius C. Van Poll, of Seattle, accepted the medals on behalf of his son who died from wounds received in action last 15 Jun (1967) which brought him the nation's second highest award for bravery. The medals were the most impressive array of decorations presented here for Vietnam heroism to any individual since the conflict began. Brig. Gen. Robert L. Ashworth, deputy U.S. Army Training Center commander, made the presentation to Van Poll. Sgt. Van Poll was a platoon leader in the 5th Special Forces Group when he earned the Distinguished Service Cross at the cost of his life. His company was moving to relieve a trapped South Vietnamese unit when they were raked by a sudden outburst of machine-gun fire. When another U.S. soldier was hit, the sergeant crawled toward him, firing steadily. He picked up the wounded man and ran through intense fire to his own lines. He was knocked down by a grenade explosion but struggled to his feet and carried the man to safety. As he was treating his comrade's wounds, he was mortally wounded himself. Van Poll was awarded the Silver Star for a similar action 1 May (1967) in which he charged enemy gunners and ignored withering enemy fire to rescue a wounded American adviser. His Bronze Star citation hailed the sergeant's "untiring efforts and professional ability that consistently achieved outstanding results" during six months in service with Special Forces in Vietnam. (Tacoma News Tribune, Tacoma WA, 15 Dec 1967)

Kin To Get Hero Medals Cottage Grove The mother of an Army sergeant killed in Vietnam will receive Saturday several heroism medals awarded her son. The medals will be presented in special ceremonies at Ft. Lewis WA., to Gertrude Ladd, mother of S. Sgt. Hubert Van Poll of Cottage Grove. The awards to be presented include the Distinguished Service Cross second only to the Medal of Honor, the Silver Star, the Bronze Star with second oak leaf cluster, and Purple Heart. Van Poll, 30, was a platoon leader in the Army's special forces. On the day he was killed, 15 Jun 1967, Van Poll rescued a wounded comrade under heavy fire, was knocked down by a grenade explosion but still got the man to safety then was mortally wounded while treating the man's wounded. The Silver Star will be presented for similar action on 1 May 1967, when Van Poll charged enemy gunners and ignored heavy fire to rescue another wounded American. (The Oregonian, Portland OR, 24 Feb 1968)

Mother Accepts Medals Awarded Posthumously Fort Lewis WA In ceremonies at Ft. Lewis Saturday, Mrs. James H. Ladd of Cottage Grove,Ore., accepted the Distinguished Service Cross and other medals awarded posthumously to her son for heroism in Vietnam. The soldier, Staff Sgt. Hubert Van Poll, braved enemy fire to save a wounded comrade. Brig. Gen. Robert L.Ashworth acting commander of Ft. Lewis and the U.S.Army training center here, presented Mrs. Ladd the DSC Silver Star, Bronze Star and Purple Heart. The sergeant's father, retired Navy CPO Cornelius C. Van Poll of Seattle, was presented a duplicate set of medals previously. (The Oregonia, Portland OR, 25 Feb 1968)

CHARLES HARRY SNOW

Birth 20FEB48 Rank PFC Date of Death 22JUN67 P. of birth Warren AR. Service Army Place Kontum S. Vietnam Town of Record Medford Unit 173rd Abn Bde A Co 2nd Bn 503rd Inf Death Code Hostile, Died; Guns, Small Arms Fire; Ground Casualty Hometown   service # 18957571 Panel 22EAST - 50 Married Married In service   Medals Purple Heart  Tour Date 10MAR67 Comment   Cemetery Memory Gardens Memorial Park, Medford, Oregon

Charles H. Snow Memorial Website
photo donated from "Brenda" Brenda@dave-gipson.com

Local Soldier Killed June 22 Near Cambodia Army Pfc. Charles H. Snow, 19, son of Mr. and Mrs. William Snow, 1947 Archer Drive, was killed 22 Jun (1967) in enemy action in Vietnam. Pfc. Snow, husband of Mrs. Ruth Snow, 4135 Cedar Lane, Phoenix, was a member of one of the two platoons of the 173rd Airborne Brigade which were virtually wiped out when cut off from other U. S. troops in the mountains near the borders of Cambodia and Laos about 275 miles northeast of Saigon.
Left March 10 The local soldier left 10 Mar (1967) for Vietnam after enlisting in the Army last August. He married Ruth Tomlin at Phoenix Presbyterian Church 23 Feb (1967). Pfc. Snow was born 20 Feb 1948 in Warren AR, and moved with his family to Southern Oregon 17 years ago. He attended grad school in Jacksonville and Medford High School. Survivors, in addition to his parents and wife, are three brothers, Bill Ray Snow, Jaems Snow and George Snow, all at home. Medford Mail Tribune, Medford OR, 26 JUN 1967)

Award of Medal Due Posthumously
Pfc. Charles H. Snow, who was killed in Vietnam June 22, 1967 , received the Bronze Star and Purple Heart medals. Pfc. Snow was killed in Vietnam when, as a member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade, two platoons were cut off from other U.S. troops near the Cambodian and Laos borders and were virtually wiped out. Making the presentation was Maj. James D. Straus, executive officer of the Second Battalion, 414th Regiment, Army Reserve.

Soldier Receives Vietnamese Medals
Two medals from the government of the Republic of Vietnam have been awarded posthumously to Army Pfc. Charles H. Snow, Medford, who was killed June 22, 1967, while a member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade about 275 miles northeast of Saigon. Presented were Military Merit Medal and the Gallantry Cross with Palm.