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In Memory of U.S. Army Private First Class

Patrick Terrance Sasse

Mobridge, South Dakota/Lemmon, South Dakota, Walworth County/Perkins County 

October 13, 1948 -- December 6, 1967

Died of Wounds in Vietnam

Patrick Terrance “Pat” Sasse was born on October 13, 1948, in Mobridge, South Dakota to Alfred and Carolyn (Ries) Sasse. He had one brother, Duane. The family moved to Lemmon in the early 1950s. Patrick received his education at St. Mary’s Parochial and Lemmon High School. Around 1964 Patrick moved with his father (who worked for Montana-Dakota Utilities Company) to Mobridge. Patrick is remembered by his brother, Duane, for his love of baseball. Linda Naasz remembers that she and a friend spent two afternoons walking around Mobridge talking with Pat and his friend shortly before they shipped out.

Patrick Sasse entered active service on April 13, 1966, at Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He took basic training before additional training with the 82nd Airborne at Fort Bragg in Fayetteville, North Carolina. PFC Sasse commenced his tour of Vietnam on April 29, 1967, as part of Company B, 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry, 1st Brigade, and 101st Airborne Division.

PFC Patrick Sasse was killed on December 6, 1967, in Vietnam from “multiple metal fragment wounds from a landmine.” His body was returned to the United States to All Souls Cemetery in Vallejo, California, where he was buried with military honors. Among his awards was the Purple Heart.

At the time of Patrick’s death, his mother, Carolyn, his father, Alfred, and his brother, Duane, were alive. Currently only his brother Duane survives.

In closing, Linda wrote, “I know exactly where I was when it came over the radio that he was killed. It’s something that sticks in your mind and you never forget even though I was fifteen years old at the time.”

This entry was respectfully submitted by Matt Hill, 8th grade, Spearfish Middle School, Spearfish, South Dakota, on February 7, 2006. Information for this entry was provided by Duane Sasse, brother of Patrick, the Lemmon Leader 12/14/67 issue, an application for a South Dakota Veteran’s bonus, a yearbook photo by Pat Fletcher, and a remembrance by Linda Naasz. P/S/F/A 2/9/06 and 5/21/06.