1 Oct 2002 Soldier Killed In Vietnam Honored Posthumously Staff Sgt. Larry K. Kaiser, 26, of Columbus, a native of Victoria, has been awarded posthumously the Bronze Star Medal with First Oak Leaf Cluster for Heroism, Purple Heart and the Good Conduct Medal, his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Sam G. Kaiser of Columbus have been informed. Sgt. Kaiser was killed in action in Vietnam on April 30. He was buried May 11 in Victoria. He had been promoted to the rank of staff sergeant, permanent, on April 29. Prior to his death, he had been awarded the Bronze Star Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, Expert Badge with rifle bar, Sharpshooter Badge with machine gun bar, and the Marksman Badge with automatic rifle bar. Sgt. Kaiser had also received from the government of South Vietnam, the Civil Action Medal First Class and the Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm. Paper and date unknown Larry Kaiser Is Recognized Posthumously Mr. and Mrs. Sam G. Kaiser of Columbus have been informed that their son, Staff Sgt. Larry K. Kaiser, who was killed in action in Vietnam April 30, has been awarded posthumously the Bronze Star Medal with First Oak Leaf Cluster for heroism, Purple Heart and the Good Conduct Medal. Prior to death, Kaiser was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, Expert Badge with rifle bar, Sharpshooter Badge with machine gun bar, and the Marksman Badge with automatic rifle bar. Also, from the government of South Vietnam, the Civil Action Medal First Class, and the Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm. Kaiser had been posthumously promoted to the rank of staff sergeant, permanent, on April 29. He was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church, and his father, Sam G. Kaiser is currently employed by J. L. Drymalla Construction Co. here in Columbus. The Colorado County Citizen, Columbus, Texas, July 9, 1970 From the Matagorda County, Texas Historical Commission. E-mail address is not available.

 

04 Jul 2006 I had the honor of meeting and getting to know Larry while in training at the Fort Benning, Georgia Non Commissioned Officer's Class in 1969. We were assigned to different units once deployed to Vietnam but we stayed in touch while in-country. A piece of me died when I received the letter that Larry had been killed in action. I always remember Larry as an intelligent, level-headed, fun-loving person. There just aren't many people like Larry that come around in our lifetimes and it was an honor knowing him. My sincere delayed condolences go to his parents and family. From a friend, Edward Hubbart 365 Windtree Avenue, Thousand Oaks, Ca 91320 edward.hubbart@adelphia.net

 

A Note from The Virtual Wall D Company, 4/12th Infantry, lost four men on 30 Apr 1970 while working through an NVA bunker complex near Ham Tam in Binh Thuy Province: SSG Larry K. Kaiser, Bay City, TX SGT Luis A. Santellano, Chicago, IL CPL Donald R. Ledlie, Des Moines, IA PFC Charles L. Smalling, Lafayette, TN One of the men, Sergeant Santellano, had been wounded and was picked by a medevac helicopter from the 45th Medical Company. The Huey, UH-1D serial 66-16793, took numerous .51 caliber hits as it lifted off from the pickup site, heavily damaging the helicopter and hitting both the flight medic and Sgt Santellano. The aircraft went into trees, rolled and burned. The copilot, thrown free from the Huey, was the only survivor; he reported that the engine and hydraulics quit at the same time. The three crewmen who died were CWO John R. Smith, Columbus, GA, pilot SP5 Kevin R. Keleher, Fort Smith, AR, flight medic SP5 Donald R. Marlow, Memphis, TN, crew chief

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