 VIETNAM WAR JULY 1969
Sgt. Charles Odean Hamilton,... of Lake Stevens died 1 Jul (1969) from injuries received in Vietnam. Sgt. Hamilton was born 6 May 1948 in Everett and had lived here all his life. He attended grade schools in Everett and Lake Stevens and was graduated from Lake Stevens High School with the class of 1966. He attended Everett Community College for 1 1/2 years. He was a basketball letterman in high school. He was an assistant coach for the Everett Girls softball Team. He had worked for the Everett Gardens at Lake Stevens for five years and was a member of the Building Laborers Union, Local 292 of Everett. Sgt. Hamilton entered the U.S. Army 15 months ago and during basic training was awarded a Tops in Physical Training plaque. Following basic training he attended NCO School at Fort Benning GA. At the time of his death he was attached to the 1st Air Cavalry, 7th Divison U. S. Army. He had been stationed in Vietnam for four months. He leaves his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John O. Hamilton of Lake Stevens; two brothers, Gary S. Hamilton of Lake Stevens and Vernon A. Hamilton in the U.S. Navy stationed on the USS Ingersoll (DD652); two sisters Mrs. Sharon A. Walker of 924 Walnut St. and Miss Karen M. Hamilton of Lake Stevens; a nephew, Stanley Charles Walker of 924 Walnut St.; his grandmother, Mrs. John Hamilton of 2501 1/2 Walnut St., and several aunts and uncles. (rest of article missing) Everett Herald 1969)
Seattleites Get Sons' Medals Fort Lewis - Parents of two Seattle soldiers received posthumous awards for their sons here today. Mrs. Nuriel Voss received the Bronze Star, Air Medal and Purple Heart for her son Sgt Raymond Voss . He was killed in June when his aircraft was shot down by enemy artillery fire. The Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star, Air Medal and Purple Heart were present to Mr. and Mrs. Wilfred St. Laurent for their son, Specialist 5 Lance St. Laurent. He was a door gunner aboard a helicopter shot down in May. (Times, Seattle WA, Wednesday, 5 Nov 1969)
 Center to Be Named for Richland Hero by Bob Woehler Four generals will dedicate a new Army Reserve Center in Pasco March 29 to a Richland soldier cited for heroism for saving wounded conrades before he was killed in Vietnam; The New $500,000 center will be named after Daniel L. Wagenaar, 20-year-old Richland Private First Class who was killed in combat 12 Jul 1969. Special guests at the dedication will be Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert L. Wagenaar of 50 Proton Lane, Richland, parents of the much-decorated machine-gunner who was killed in a battle near the Cambodian border. For his heroism Wagenaar was posthumously awarded the Silver Star, the Army's third highest award for valor. He also received the Bronze Star, the Army Commendation Medal for heroism with oak leaf cluster, the Purple Heart, the Republic of Vietnam Miliary Merit Medal and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm. Wagenaar's company was pinned down by a crossfire. He managed to escape unharmed. A few minutes later he noticed several fellow soldiers lying wounded in the area under fire. "Pfc. Wagenaar with complete disregard for his own safety went back to administer aid to the wounded and provide cover fire for their escape. He was killed while providing the cover fire." the Silver Star citation reads. Taking part in the dedication at 1011 East Ainsworth St. at 4:20 p.m. will be Lt. Gen. E. B. Roberts. Commander of the Sixth Army, and Maj. Gen J. Milnor Roberts, chief of the Army Reserve. Also attending will be Maj. Gen. A. E. Milloy, commander of the Army Readiness Region IX, and Maj. Gen. Orville K. Fletcher, commander of the 104th Div. of Washington state. Wagenaar, who was an Eagle Scout, and had studied to be a forester before joining the Army, was described by his former scoutmaster, Ernie Wegener, "as a youngster who had the ability to succeed at almost anything he attempted." He was the only son of the Wagenaars who have two daughters. He was born in Pasco 19 Sep 1948, and lived in Richland until he went to the University of Montana in Missoula in 1967. He was a Tri-City Herald paperboy for five years and a member of Explorer Scout Post 237 in Richland sponsored by the Westside United Protestant Church. He had been in the Army for 9 months when he was killed. Wagenaar was chosen from a list of 20 former servicemen killed in Vietnam. The list was narrowed to five who had received the Silver Star, said Robert Gregson, Pasco, chairman of the selection committee. Others on the committee were Leon Chapman, Kennewick, Billy Kerslake, Pasco, Walter Kirpatrick, Richland, and John Walker, Kennewick. The selection was based on the nature of balorous acts and other awards and accomplishments," Gregson said. The new facility will be open to the public from noon to 6 p.m. The center is the headquarters for the Second Brigade, 104th Division for the Army Reserve commanded by Col. Ray Reynolds of Pasco. Reynolds said 165 reservists drill at the facility and it serves as headquarters for about 400 more drilling in Spokane, Yakima and Walla Walla.
A short interview I had the honor of meeting Mr. and Mrs. Wagenaar at the Moving Wall Event in Richland WA on 10 Jun 2005. A gentle couple who still smiled about childhood achievements of their son. Daniel Wagenaar was an eagle scout and as a junior or senior in high school became a leader for Husky Patrol, boy scouts who otherwise would have had no leader.
by Pfc. Dan Wagenaar March 26, 1969: "It's funny but usually when writing home I think about a dozen things I never put on paper: dumb, everyday things that are part of home and usually associated with the summer season . . . I like to remember, and I say : Someday I'll go home again. But don't count the days, the weeks, or the months -- that makes time go slow. Keep your mind on the present as much as possible, I tell myself. And when I think of home, think of what it's like this exact moment, I know it will be the same when I finally get home, Someday . . . " "Someday" never came for Pfc. Dan Wagenaar, because some four months later he was killed in Vietnam while in the service of the United States Army. But for those four months prior to his fatal confrontation at a deceptively lush area called Black Virgin Mountain, he found time to write letters to his family and to keep a diary. Dan's mother was able to collect his writings and put them into chronological order. The result is LETTERS FROM NAM, and if ever a book detailed the day to day life of a private in the army, this is it. Alternately sad and funny, but ultimately tragic, Pfc. Wagenaar's journal is an immensely moving document, filled with his youthful dreams and innocense, but just as often filled with striking examples of a courage far beyond his years. Out of these writings emerges the portrait of a very admirable and sensitive young man, a young man who acknowledges the creulty of war but never once questions his country's right to be there, or his oblication to his country. He writes: "My views towards the war are as red, white and blue as ever . . . Whether the price to be paid for Vietnamese freedon (?) is worth it or not, I don't know. I can merely hope that it is." Whatever history's verdict will prove to be on this subject, Pfc. Dan Wagenaar fought and died for a cause. No man can do more and his LETTERS FROM NAM will stand as a lasting memorial to that bravery. (directly taken from the cover ends of his book. LETTERS FROM NAM Dan Wagenaar lived and went to school in Washington, and later attended University of Montana. The following summer he worked for the U.S. Forest Service and in September, 1968 he enlisted in the army. After completing his basic training and advanced infantry training, he left for Vietnam. The period of service in Vietnam is covered in LETTERS FROM NAM, from his letters and diary which came into the possession of his parents. These letters and excerpts were written while he was stationed with the 1st Infantry Division near the Cambodian border. While serving on a clearing operation, Mr. Wagenaar was killed. In addition to the Silver Star, he was awarded the Army Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Bronze Star Medal, and the Vietnamese Military Medal and Gallantry Cross with Palm. Only son - Pfc. Daniel L. Wagenaar, 20, killed Saturday in combat in Vietnam is the only son of Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert L. Wagenaar, 1424 Alice St., Richland. Survivors include his parents and two sisters, Dale and Dana. He had been in Vietnam since March. Tri-Cities Herald, 18 Jul 1969)
War Victim Valley-Born Pfc. John Edward Bliner, 24, son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert J. Pulsifer, of Aloha, Grays Harbor County, who died Tuesday of wounds received in action in Vietnam, was born in Puyallup and graduated from Shelton High School. He lived in Santa Clara CA for four years prior to entering the Army. Besides his parents, survivors, include two brothers, Horace A., of Seattle, and Stephen C., of Santa Clara; and two sisters, Mrs. Frankie Mork, of Santa Clara, and Mrs. Viola A. Rouse Jr., of Puyallup. Services will be announced by Batstone Funeral Home, Shelton. (Tacoma News Tribune, Tacoma WA, 21 Jul 1969)
Remembrance I attended basic training with Mike and I know that all he wanted to do was to go to jump school, go Airborne, and go to Nam. He was a good guy, a good soldier. It's hard to get to know anyone in 9 weeks but we had a menigitis scare in training - a hundred guys died before we arrived. So we had an extra patch above our name tag that had our unit designation. We were marched out of the area and weren't allowed to go anywhere without an escort. We got extra blanket, each window was open ten pole length. We had plenty of time to get to know each other. I looked up his name first when I visited the wall. HAWK, PFC. MICHAEL A., 19, of Black Diamond, July 19 (1969), Vietnam, 11th Artillery, 101st Airborne Division. Attended Black Diamond Presbyterian Church and Enumclaw High School. Son of Mrs. Merna Hawk, Black Diamond; brother of Tonnie, at home. Military graveside services Saturday, 11a.m., Washelli Cemetery. Direction Enumclaw Funeral Home. (Seattle P-I, Seattle WA, 6 Aug 1969)
McDaniels killed on war base
Marines who died in Medevac helicopter crash
John F. Murphy, Army Sergeant, Dies in War Picture and addition Remembrances at Virtual Wall
Virtual Wall, AskALibrarian@oclc.org
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