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In Memory of U.S. Army Private First Class

Lonnie Lee Stern

Aberdeen, South Dakota, Brown County

June 5, 1949 -- January 3, 1971

Died Non-Battle in Vietnam

     

Lonnie Lee Stern was born on June 6, 1949, in Aberdeen, South Dakota. His mother was Bernice (Stern) Job. He had four half sisters, Debbie, Linda, Pam, and Stacey. He also had one half brother, Stanley. Lonnie attended Aberdeen Public Schools and in 1966, he moved to Seattle, Washington. He graduated from Renton High School in 1968. After he graduated, he worked for Goodyear Tire in Seattle.

Lonnie Stern entered the service on August 18, 1969 in Fort Lewis, Washington. He left to go overseas on June 11, 1970, as 329th Transportation Company, 1st Transportation Command, United States Army Support Command, where he was a landing craft operator.

U.S. Army Private First Class Lonnie Lee Stern died on January 3, 1971 in Vietnam. His body was returned to the United States and he was buried at Sunset Memorial Gardens in Aberdeen, South Dakota with military honors.

His awards were National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with 1 Star, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Ribbon with Ribbon (1960), Sharpshooter Badge with Rifle, and Good Conduct Medal.

He is currently survived by his half-brother, Stanley, from Washington, and his two half- sisters, Stacey Job of Aberdeen, and Pam Hight, California. His mother, Bernice, and his sister, Debbie Job Reinhardt, to whom Lonnie was very close, have since passed away.

Every day Lonnie is remembered and missed by all who knew him. His brother, Stanley, said in closing, “I was 15 when Lonnie died, and it took me 30 years to get over losing him. I am 50 years old now and it still hurts.”

This entry was respectfully submitted by R.K. and Kelsey Senden, 8th grade, Spearfish Middle School, Spearfish, South Dakota, on March 22, 2006. Information for this entry was provided by South Dakota Vietnam Veteran’s bonus application, National Personnel Records Center, and additional information by Stanley Job, brother, and Stacey Job, sister, via the Schmierer family and (Loretta) Jung family. Profile approval by Stacey and Stanley Job.