Born: March 29, 1943
Electronics Technician (Communications), Petty Officer Second Class, United States Navy Service# 3913513 USS WESTCHESTER COUNTY (LST-1167)
TASK FORCE 117, UNITED STATES NAVAL FORCES–VIETNAM Home or Place of Enlistment: Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
Start of Tour: September 21, 1968 Killed in Action: November 1, 1968 Location: Go Cong Province, South Vietnam |
USS Westchester County (LST-1167) was a Terrebonne Parish-class tank landing ship, and served as a Mobile Riverine Force support ship in the Mekong Delta from 24 October through 31 December 1967. Westchester County spent the early weeks of 1968 continuing service as a Mobile Riverine support ship. On 26 January the ship began a series of lifts from Okinawa and the Philippines to Vietnam, and after repair availability and training exercises from July through September, the ship resumed duty with the Mobile Riverine Forces on 22 September. On 1 November while Westchester County lay anchored in the vicinity of Mỹ Tho, Vietnam two giant underwater explosions ripped through it, killing 26 men, including PO2 Funke.
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