In
Memory of Army Sgt.
Daniel Dean Busse was born in Highmore, South Dakota on
September 9, 1946 to Clarence Christopher and Lyla Marie
(Jensen) Busse. He had three brothers, Jan, William, and
Steven, and one sister, Cheryl. Daniel attended school in
Highmore. He was involved with basketball, track, student
council, senior class play, science club, and was an honor
student in high school. After graduating from Highmore High
School in 1964, Daniel took one year of vocational training
in Fargo, North Dakota, and then attended Area Vocational
Technical School in Willmar, Minnesota, graduating in June
of 1967.
Sgt. Daniel Dean Busse entered the army at Fort Leonard
Wood on June 22, 1967. He was shipped to Vietnam on November
22, 1967 where he was attached to Company C, 1st Battalion,
6th Infantry, 198th Infantry Brigade.
On September 1, 1968 Sgt. Daniel D. Busse was team leader
for the 1st platoon of C Company, when they came under
attack from a large North Vietnamese force. Sgt. Daniel Dean
Busse was killed as he was trying to neutralize a second
North Vietnamese enemy position that was firing on them.
Sgt. Daniel D. Busse was awarded the Purple Heart and the
Bronze Star Medal with “V” Device posthumously. The award
for the Bronze Star states:
For heroism in connection with the
military operations against a hostile force in the
Republic of Vietnam. Specialist Four Busse
distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions
on 1 September 1968 while serving as a team leader for
the first platoon of Company C, lst Battalion, 6th
Infantry. On that date, while the unit was on a combat
assault mission they came under a heavy attack from the
large North Vietnamese Army force who were entrenched in
fortified bunkers. During the initial burst of hostile
fire, Specialist Busse’s element sustained many
casualties from a hostile machinegun position, while
Specialist Busse led his men through the dense, bullet
swept terrain, to a position where they could place
effective fire on the enemy machinegun position. As they
crawled towards their objective, another North
Vietnamese soldier fired at them with another automatic
weapon. Specialist Busse crawled through the barrage of
the enemy fire and silenced the second enemy position.
Specialist Four Busse’s valor and devotion to duty were
in keeping with the highest traditions of the military
service and reflect great credit upon himself, and the
American Division, and the United States Army.
The body of Sgt. Daniel Dean Busse was returned to the
United States and buried with military honors in the
Highmore cemetery. Sgt. Busse’s name can be seen on Panel
45W, Line 018 on the Veterans’ Memorial Wall in Washington,
D.C.
Paige S. Jensen, 7th grade, Stanley County Middle School,
Fort Pierre, South Dakota, March 29, 2005, respectfully
submitted this entry.
Information provided by Jan Busse, Highmore, South Dakota,
brother to Sgt. Daniel Dean Busse.
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