Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund honors first 2 killed in Vietnam

First 2 killed in Vietnam War to be honored

The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Jul 8, 2009 7:09:14 EDT

WASHINGTON — The first two Americans to lose their lives during the Vietnam War are being honored.

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the deaths of Army Master Sgt. Chester Ovnand and Maj. Dale Buis during a special ceremony Wednesday at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

The two men were watching a movie when their residential compound in Bien Hoa, Vietnam, was attacked. Ovnand, of Texas, was a month away from finishing up his tour of duty, and Buis, a Californian, had arrived in Vietnam two days before he was killed.

More than 58,000 Americans were killed in combat during the war.

Jan Scruggs, president of the Memorial Fund, says he hopes the ceremony will cause people to remember all the fallen soldiers — as well as those fighting now.
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/07/ap_vietnam_casualties_070809/