ALAN A KETTNER
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HONORED ON PANEL 49E, LINE 43 OF THE WALL

ALAN ARTHUR KETTNER

WALL NAME

ALAN A KETTNER

PANEL / LINE

49E/43

DATE OF BIRTH

08/22/1943

CASUALTY PROVINCE

THUA THIEN

DATE OF CASUALTY

04/13/1968

HOME OF RECORD

SPRINGFIELD

COUNTY OF RECORD

Brown County

STATE

MN

BRANCH OF SERVICE

MARINE CORPS

RANK

2LT

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Contact Details

REMEMBRANCES

LEFT FOR ALAN ARTHUR KETTNER
POSTED ON 3.11.2024

Final Mission of 2LT Alan A. Kettner

On April 13, 1968, in a no-name operation literally called “No Name No. 2,” the 1st Battalion, 27th Marines, 1st Marine Division ran into two North Vietnamese Army (NVA) companies in a fortified hamlet along a small canal north of QL-1 a few miles east of the Hue Citadel in Thua Thien Province, RVN. At 8:21 AM, B-1/27 received heavy automatic weapons, small arms, rocket-propelled grenade, and mortar fire. Taking casualties, the Marines returned fire and attempted to close with the enemy when they were pinned down. Artillery was called onto the NVA positions as Companies A and D joined the fray. A-1/27 ran into heavy fire from the east while D-1/27’s advance was slowed by mines and booby traps. As A-1/27 closed, enemy fire intensified, halting then pinning them down. Artillery fire failed to suppress the NVA fire. Ontos M50 tracked vehicles were deployed to assist the beleaguered battalion. The Marines continued to return fire and regroup, trying to rescue pinned down elements. At 2:07 PM, a landing zone was established, and casualties were medivacked. When all companies were finally able to withdraw, 26 Marines were dead and 37 wounded with a reported 62 enemy killed. The following day, Easter Sunday, the Marines retrieved their dead, bringing them out in ponchos. They were amazed at the enemy's battlefield discipline, noting the NVA had gathered up all their spent cartridges from the trench where they fought for five hours against the Marines. Despite reporting dozens of dead, the Marines found only two enemy bodies. The lost U.S. personnel included: (from A-1/27) SSGT Glennis R. Kellams (posthumously awarded the Silver Star), CPL Kenneth M. Watson, LCPL Richard L. Embrey, LCPL Stephen J. Hinds, PFC Raymond Armstrong, PFC Frank W. Atherton, PFC Robert C. Healey Jr., PFC Kenneth L. Hinnant, PFC Larry C. Hopper, PFC Jerry A. Snipes; (from B-1/27) 2LT Alan A. Kettner, CPL James E. Hodge, LCpl Terry L. Fuhrman, (died of wounds 04/14/1968), LCpl Alfred V. Whitmer, PFC Roger A. Boomsma, PFC Douglas L. Long, PFC Barry D. Lord, PFC Paul L. Whitthorne, PFC William W. Wilson, PVT Ray T. Comfort; (from C-1/27) CPL Joseph C. Reid, PFC Donald L. Mansfield, and PFC William G. Parker; (from H&S-1/27) SSGT Fred J. Hayes (posthumously awarded the Silver Star); and Navy corpsmen HN3 Robert L. Dodsworth and HN Richard E. Cawley. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org, virtualwall.org, and “U.S. Marines in Vietnam: The Defining Year, 1968” by Shulimson, Blasiol, Smith, and Dawson]
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POSTED ON 3.16.2023
POSTED BY: John Fabris

honoring you...

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. Your letter to your Mother and friends in the event of your death in Vietnam is moving and is a testament to you and the values upon which you based your life. May you rest in eternal peace.
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POSTED ON 12.4.2019
POSTED BY: Lucy Micik

Thank You

Dear Lt Alan Kettner, Thank you for your service as a Basic Infantry Officer. Saying thank you isn't enough, but it is from the heart. Thanksgiving just passed, so this is the perfect time to say thanks. The time passes quickly. Please watch over America, it stills needs your strength, courage, guidance and faithfulness. Rest in peace with the angels.
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POSTED ON 1.21.2018
POSTED BY: Bob Ahles, 2/27 Wolfhound, St. Cloud, Minnesota

Peace with Honor

You were one of the brave that answered the call. You honored us by your service and sacrifice. We now honor you each time we stand and sing the words “THE LAND OF THE FREE AND THE HOME OF THE BRAVE”. Rest in Peace and Honor Alan.
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POSTED ON 4.29.2015
POSTED BY: Bob Ahles, Vietnam Vet, St. Cloud, Minnesota

BATTLE AT HUE

On 13 April 1968 the 1st Battalion, 27th Marines, fought a bloody battle with elements of the North Vietnamese Army east of the city of Hue. The fight cost the Marines dearly - 26 dead, even worse than Sergeant Garza remembers, and 46 wounded - but killed at least 62 enemy soldiers and helped to clear the area of remaining NVA/VC forces. The dead were:

A Company:
SSgt Glennis R. Kellams, New Albany, IN (Silver Star)
Cpl Kenneth M. Watson, Toledo, OH
LCpl Richard L. Embrey, Warren, AZ
LCpl Stephen J. Hinds, Osseo, MN
Pfc Raymond Armstrong, Cleveland, OH
Pfc Frank W. Atherton, Templeton, PA
Pfc Robert C. Healey, Trenton, NJ
Pfc Kenneth L. Hinnant, Johnson City, TN
Pfc Larry C. Hopper, Ontario, CA
Pfc Jerry A. Snipes, Albemarle, NC

B Company:
2ndLt Alan A. Kettner, Springfield, MN
Cpl James E. Hodge, Macksburg, OH
LCpl Terry L. Fuhrman, Fort Wayne, IN (DoW 14 Apr 68)
LCpl Alfred V. Whitmer, Morenci, AZ
Pfc Roger A. Boomsma, Arcadia, CA
Pfc Douglas L. Long, Savannah, GA
Pfc Barry D. Lord, Findlay, OH
Pfc Paul L. Whitthorne, Memphis, TN
Pfc William W. Wilson, St Marys, WV
Pvt Ray T. Comfort, Northumberland, PA

C Company:
Cpl Joseph C. Reid, Baton Rouge, LA
Pfc Donald L. Mansfield, Rockland, ME
Pfc William G. Parker, Detroit, MI

H&S Company:
SSgt Fred J. Hayes, Walnut Creek, CA (Silver Star) (with Delta 1/27)
HN3 Robert L. Dodsworth, Franklin, IL
HN Richard E. Cawley, St Joseph, MO
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