This Military Service Page was created/owned by
SGT Charles Torno
to remember
Knippel, Larry Don, SSG.
If you knew or served with this Soldier and have additional information or photos to support this Page, please leave a message for the Page Administrator(s) HERE.
Casualty Info
Home Town Lincoln
Last Address Lincoln
Casualty Date Mar 13, 1970
Cause KIA-Killed in Action
Reason Other Explosive Device
Location Bien Hoa (Vietnam)
Conflict Vietnam War
Location of Interment Rosehill Cemetery - Waverly, Nebraska
Wall/Plot Coordinates 13W 122
Official Badges
Unofficial Badges
1969-1970, 11E10, B Company, 2nd Battalion, 34th Armor
Best Friends We were in NCO School together at Fort Knox, after graduation on April15th 1969, we roomed together during OJT at Fort Hood with C Co, 1/66 Armor, 2nd Armored Div.
Best Moment Larry's heroic action in defense of FSB Thunder 3, on 9/5/69, with B Co, 2/34th Armor, 1st Inf Div. For details see the magazine, Vietnam, volume 19 number 3, October 2006.
Worst Moment Watching him say, what would be, his final goodbye to his parents at the airport in Lincoln, Ne. Reassuring them not to worry that he would be all right, a promise he was unable to keep.
Other Memories I flew over to Vietnam with Larry and learned of his death on my last day in country on my first tour. One of the last days at OJT, Larry asked two Vietnam vets if they thought he would survive Vietnam, now this was totally out of character for Larry who always showed an air of " the Fonse" cool nonchalance. They were visibly taken back by his question because how would they know, they reassured Larry, to ease his mind that he would be fine and Larry's old verve returned. That was the only time that I saw Larry's veneer crack but only for a moment.
