STEPHEN HENRY WARNER
STEPHEN H WARNER
5W/104
REMEMBRANCES
Current 7th MPAD Commander
From the Gettysburgian . . .
Final Mission of SP4 Stephen H. Warner
Remembering An American Hero
As an American, I would like to thank you for your service and for your sacrifice made on behalf of our wonderful country. The youth of today could gain much by learning of heroes such as yourself, men and women whose courage and heart can never be questioned.
May God allow you to read this, and may He allow me to someday shake your hand when I get to Heaven to personally thank you. May he also allow my father to find you and shake your hand now to say thank you; for America, and for those who love you.
With respect, and the best salute a civilian can muster for you, Sir
Curt Carter
To Steve Warner, A truly dedicated journalist with deep empathy for the fighting soldier
Although we called ourselves the USARV, Public Information Office, the actual unit designation was the 7th Public Information Detachment. Our primary job was to travel throughout RVN and produce hometowners, which were interviews either written or for newspapers to be run in the 'Grunts' home town paper or radio station. We also wrote articles and took photographs for the two or three magazine publications in RVN. Steve was probably our brightest and most focused soldier. Although he was vehemently opposed to warfare, he felt it was his job to tell the story of the individual 'Grunt' and what he had to contend with on a day to day basis.
Steve was scheduled to begin a previously approved and scheduled in country R&R at Vung Tau on the 13th of February, 1971. He had been operating out of Quang Tri in the area of the Rockpile for several weeks and rather than take his scheduled R&R he opted to stay with his 'guys' to continue to tell their story. I had just received orders to head to Quang Tri to set up Press Support Operations for the 51 accredited press members that would cover Lam Son 719, which was the 1971 RVN incursion into Laos. I suggested that he go ahead and take his well deserved R&R. However he felt it was more important to stay with the unit he was working with than take a few safe days off and travel to the beach at Vung Tau. He simply asked that I collect his accumulated mail and bring it North with me.
Unfortunately by the time I got to Quang Tri, word came back that he had been killed by an RPG that struck the front of the Track he was on (we rode on the top rather than in the Track due to the heat).
The terrible waste of war. such an outstanding individual.
Our unit had some memorable members; Mark Jury, who published the Vietnam Photo Book based on images he had made while a member of the 7th PID, and Bernie Edelman, who wrote, Dear America, Letters Home from Vietnam. Both served with Steve.
As well know as other members of our unit have become, none were as dedicated to the common soldier as was Steve.
Rest in Peace, Steve. We miss you still.