ALTON J ZERANGUE JR
VIEW ALL PHOTOS (4)
HONORED ON PANEL 15E, LINE 52 OF THE WALL

ALTON JOSEPH ZERANGUE JR

WALL NAME

ALTON J ZERANGUE JR

PANEL / LINE

15E/52

DATE OF BIRTH

10/10/1936

CASUALTY PROVINCE

KONTUM

DATE OF CASUALTY

02/16/1967

HOME OF RECORD

ARNAUDVILLE

COUNTY OF RECORD

St. Martin Parish

STATE

LA

BRANCH OF SERVICE

ARMY

RANK

SSGT

Book a table
Contact Details

REMEMBRANCES

LEFT FOR ALTON JOSEPH ZERANGUE JR
POSTED ON 3.8.2024
POSTED BY: John Fabris

do not stand at my grave and weep......

Do not stand at my grave and weep
I am not there. I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning's hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry;
I am not there. I did not die.
read more read less
POSTED ON 10.10.2023
POSTED BY: ANON

87

Your sacrifice is not forgotten.

HOOAH
read more read less
POSTED ON 3.21.2023
POSTED BY: Lucy Micik

Thank You

Dear Ssgt Alton Zerangue, Thank you for your service as an Infantryman. Saying thank you isn't enough, but it is from the heart. It is spring and Lent. Time passes quickly. Please watch over America, it stills needs your strength, courage, guidance, and faithfulness, especially now. Rest in peace with the angels.
read more read less
POSTED ON 9.14.2019

Final Mission of SSG Alton J. Zerangue Jr.

On February 16, 1967, during the fourth day of Operation Sam Houston, Company A, 1st Battalion, 22d Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, was conducting a search and destroy mission west of Pleiku in the Plei Trap Valley. The point squad observed several North Vietnamese Army soldiers and gave chase, leading them into an ambush which they were unable to disengage until nightfall. The contact was with an enemy force that apparently was moving east and led them directly into the numerically superior NVA force. The squad received intense enemy automatic weapons fire and was subsequently cut off from the remainder of the company. Squad Leader SSG Alton J. Zerangue Jr. immediately organized his men into a defensive perimeter, and they counterattacked with a heavy volume of fire. The enemy inflicted many casualties among the squad, however, SSG Zerangue utilized his remaining forces to delay the enemy, giving the rest of the company time to regroup and form a defensive perimeter. Zerangue was wounded three times but remained with his squad to lead them against the enemy until he was mortally wounded. He was posthumously awarded the Silver Star for bravery. The vegetation in the area of the battle was extremely dense and the enemy used this to their advantage by deploying numerous accurate snipers in the trees and undergrowth very close to Company A’s position. The Americans requested close artillery support and air strikes including CBU (“cluster bombs”) and napalm. A heavy volume of fire was placed on the sniper's positions as soon as they were determined. When the battle ended, twenty-one members of A Company had been lost. The fallen troopers with Zerangue included PFC Channing Allen Jr., SGT Lee R. Bays, SP4 Anastacio H. Beltran, PFC William M. Berenwick, PFC Lanny R. Bolding, PFC Douglas R. Colbert, SGT Donald R. Dorman, PFC Curtis L. Duck, PFC Larry S. Fetherolf, SSG Walter W. Haring, PFC Clemente D. Hernandez, PFC Elmer F. Kepsel, SP4 Kenneth L. Koster, CPL Richard A. Lawrence, SP4 Lewis Lee, SP4 Marlow M. Loecker, CPT Colin D. Mac Manus, PFC John E. Oocumma, CPL Donald. L. Schnee, and SP4 Richard Tarkington Jr. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and SSG Zerangue’s Silver Star citation]
read more read less
POSTED ON 11.11.2016
POSTED BY: James King

Thank you. You would be proud.

I never had the opportunity to meet you, sir, but I am thankful for your service. You made the ultimate sacrifice and it shall not be forgotten.

I did have the opportunity to know your son, Keith.
I just want to say that you would be very proud.

Thank you.
read more read less
1 2 3