Amanuensis Monday – Death of Sgt. Robert Wimp
transcribed by Sherry Stocking Kline
Monday, May 31, 2010
Some time ago at a yard sale (it’s that time of year again!) I picked up a box of photographs and other memorabilia, and I spent quite a bit of time then and a few times since, figuring out the family names, finding out what names were on the photos and also learning what cities and towns the photographs were taken in. Tucked in with the photos was the following clipping.
This tiny news article contains heartbreaking news…
Death Notice of Sgt. Robert Wimp
On the Paper:
Deaths and Services
Sgt. Robert Wimp
Mrs. Fred Newland received news of the death of her brother, Sgt. Robert Wimp, in the Mekong Delta of South Vietnam, on Thursday, Feb 20.
Sgt. Wimp had just returned last week after an emergencey leave when he was called home by the death of his father.
Sgt. Wimp would have completed his second tour of duty this year.
What a heartbreaking news is contained in this tiny little note. Mrs. Fred Newland and her brother had just buried their father, and then Sgt. Wimp had returned to South Vietnam to finish his tour of duty when he was killed, leaving Mrs. Newland to mourn the loss of her father and her brother.
Is the “69” Part of the Newspaper’s Date?
This piece of the paper does not have a date on it, for sure, but I think perhaps the little “69” shown in the upper left hand corner next to the “Deaths and Services” Title might be part of the newspaper’s date.
This short article doesn’t say, but it certainly leads you to wonder if Sgt. Wimp’s loss played a role in his death in some way.
Hopefully, after our KCGS Conference date is past, I will have time to research this box of “orphan treasures” and get them to a good home.
And if someone reading this is part of Sgt. Wimp’s family, please leave me a note!
Additional info: Ah, I love genealogy friends! What you don’t know, or know how to do, they kindly step in and provide! Carol Yates Wilkerson, of http://ipentimento.com, family history and genealogy, looked it up on the Vietnam Wall site and said that he did die in 1969. http://thewall-usa.com/info.asp?recid=56872 Now, to find some living family members!
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I looked it up on the Vietnam Wall site and he did die in 1969. http://thewall-usa.com/info.asp?recid=56872
Wow! Thank you, Carol! I didn’t know you could do that, but I didn’t try looking, either! I’ve been swamped lately getting things ready for the Kansas Council of Genealogical Societies that is coming to our town and hosting Maureen Taylor, the Photo Detective. You can see more at http://www.ksschgs.com. I thank you very much for looking him up and sharing that info with me and with others who will visit the site. I will add that info into the blog in just a few minutes, or blog about it right quick. Bless you!
Wow, I got chills! Carol what a kind thing for you to do! I, too, did not know of that wonderful resource. Sherry you have a true genealogist’s heart! What a pure act, to preserve and honor a life with no connection to your own line. To have saved this snapshot of a life sacrificed for our country and taken to heart his family’s loss shows your innate benevolence and determination to give a voice to the stories that would otherwise be lost to time. You and your work are a true blessing! Job well done 🙂
Thank you very much for the very kind words! I know how happy I am when I find a new piece of my family’s history puzzle, and being able to see a photograph of them, too, well that’s just awesome, so I hope I can return these photographs and memorabilia to a family member who will treasure them as I would mine!
He died on 2/19/1969 with another brave man : Edwin Ackerman.
Thank you for stopping by. I appreciate you stopping by my website, and sharing ‘the rest of the story’ with me as well! Much appreciated. I look forward to hearing from you! Sherry
[…] In May of this year, I shared some information on my blog about the death of Sgt. Robert Wimp in Vietnam. You can see my original post here. […]