Vietnam

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Amanuensis Monday – Sgt. Robert Wimp

December 21st, 2010 | Author: Sherry Stocking Kline

by Sherry Stocking Kline
December 21, 2010

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.

As a result of that original post, Carol Yates Wilkerson, http://ipentimento.com, added more information about the date, etc. of Sgt. Wimp’s death that she located at http://thewall-usa.com/info.asp?recid=56872, and below is the info that was included there.

ROBERT G. WIMP

SFC – E7 – Army – Regular
MACV ADVISORS
Length of service 14 years
His tour began on Sep 15, 1968
Casualty was on Feb 19, 1969
In, SOUTH VIETNAM
HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
GUN, SMALL ARMS FIRE
Body was recovered
Panel 32W – Line 63

Two Heroes…

And this week, Claudia visited my website. Claudia said that she wasn’t part of Wimp’s family, but added “My husband was in Vietnam and has recently reconnected with some old comrades.”

Claudia said that someone sent her the text below recounting the death of 3 soldiers and that the one named Ackerman served with her husband. Claudia said, “in the text there was mention of 2 other soldiers (Robert Wimp and Early) who died with him. Two heroes.”

“On Sunday afternoon, 19 Feb 1969, I had the misfortune of hearing Early, SFC Robert Wimp, and Captain Edwin Ackerman voluntarily charge into the rice paddies with a small SVN popular force team to repel a VC patrol. I listened to them courageously engage in a fierce fire fight, and request helicopter gun ship support. Then all at once I heard them caught up in an ambush with no way to escape.”

Claudia said that she believes the information sent to her was part of a battle report, and so she googled Robert Wimp and found my website.

“At this time I have no first name for the soldier named Early,” Claudia said.

As Claudia said, that short bit of text says so little, and yet so much, conveying a picture, and a feeling of helplessness as well.

I have more information about the Wimp family, and would very much like to share it with family members, so if you are a Wimp family member, please leave a comment!

Posted in Amanuensis Monday, Garage Sale Photos, Orphaned Family Treasures |

Tags: Eads Colorado, Robert Wimp, Vietnam |

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Amanuensis Monday – Death of Sgt. Robert Wimp

June 2nd, 2010 | Author: Sherry Stocking Kline

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!