This Military Service Page was created/owned by
SP 6 Gary McJimsey
to remember
Lish, Gilbert Ray, SP 4.
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Casualty Info
Home Town Boise
Last Address 1911 Denver Street, Boise, ID
Casualty Date Feb 01, 1968
Cause KIA-Killed in Action
Reason Gun, Small Arms Fire
Location Vinh Long (Vietnam)
Conflict Vietnam War
Location of Interment Morris Hill Cemetery - Boise, Idaho
Boise High School, Boise, Idaho
Caucasian
Mormon - Church of Jesus Christ LDS
Married - Yvonne, July 1967.
Father - Gilbert Robert (Rastus) Lish (October 22, 1907 – July 29, 1963. Age 55) He was a carpenter. Served in the US Army Air Force, WWII, rank of Corporal.
Mother – Una Venera Byrd Lish (August 16, 1927 – May 16, 2003. Age 75). Gilbert’s mother and second wife to Gilbert Robert Lish (father).
Sisters / Stepsisters:
Norma Louise (Lish) (Wayne) Smith
Lorraine Marie (Lish) Suarez (Mother: Esther Henrietta Gibson Lish Irwin)
Tracy Parker
Arlington Davis
Brothers / Stepbrothers:
Edward Lee Lish (1952 – 2016. Age 64)
Harold Robinson
Robert Robinson
Paul Rinehart
Regular Army – Enlisted March 1, 1966
Vietnam Tour of Duty Started September 1, 1967
Killed in combat action by hostile small arms fire while on perimeter guard duty at his base in the Vinh Long Province, US Military Region 4, Republic of South Vietnam, during the TET Offensive at the Vinh Long air base.
Age at death 20
______________________________________
Obituary: Specialist Fourth Class Ray Lish. Idaho Daily Statesman, Boise, Ada County, Idaho. Thursday, February 29, 1968.
GILBERT RAY LISH:
Services for Spec. 4 Gilbert Ray Lish, 20, 1911 Denver Ave., who died in action in Vietnam Feb 1, 1968, will be conducted at 2:00 p.m. Friday in Summers Chapel. Bishop Leland C. Higginson of the Mountain Home LDS church will officiate.
Interment will be in the Field of Honor at Morris Hill Cemetery. Military honors at the cemetery will be provided by the Army National Guard.
Gilbert R. Lish was born Nov. 30, 1947, at Pocatello. He attended Boise High School and married Yvonne Verkerk at Elko, NV in July 1967. He entered the Army March 1, 1966 and was a heavy equipment operator in the 20th Engineering Battalion, Company D. He was a member of the LDS.
His father preceded him in death in 1963.
In addition to his wife, Mrs. Yvonne Lish, Boise, he is survived by his mother, Mrs. Ennic Davis, Bruneau; a sister, Norma Louise Lish and a brother, Edward Lee Lish, both of Mountain Home; and several stepbrothers and sisters.
Honorary pallbearers will be Robert Lyon, Richard Lyon, Nick Lyon, James Lyon and Robert Otte. Active pallbearers will be members of the Army National Guard.
Notation: Birth record showed he was born in Bonneville County, instead of Bannock County as the obituary mentioned.
Find A Grave web site Memorial #28684501
Comments/Citation:
From The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund site:
My brother Gilbert Ray Lish, was deployed to Vietnam on September 1, 1967. I was born September 27, 1968, and he was killed in action on February 1, 1968 during the attack on the Vinh Long air force base during the Tet Offensive. I never got to meet you, but I love you just the same. So proud of what all you did. You gave your life to save others. I only wish you could have met my children and grandchildren and myself also. My daughter named her son after you too. I will love you till my dying day big brother!
Art
My Knight [Unanimous]:
He went by the name of Ray. He had hopes and dreams like so many young men. He was very committed in whatever he did especially his dedication to this country. He believed so much in what was told him about the Vietnam War. He left behind his 19 year old bride. He lived out of town and would walk or hitchhike just to see his girlfriend at the time. He adored her and wanted the world to be a better place for everyone; especially for the family he had hoped one day to have. In death he is still providing for the bride he left behind.
June 2000
From The Wall - USA:
Yvonne Verkerk
Widow
My hero always:
To me he was "Ray" to others he was known as Gilbert. He was assigned to the 69th Engineer Battalion; they say he volunteered to stay behind to defend the perimeter after the first assault on Jan 31, 1968.(Tet).He was killed in action on February 1, 1968. He was awarded the "Silver Star" posthumously. I too have been looking for anyone who was there with him at the time etc. It will be 39 yrs but at times it feels and seems like yesterday.
January 2007
Clarence W. Christian
Served in the same unit in Vietnam
A FRIEND GONE SO SOON:
Gilbert and I served together for several months at Vien Long. We were together on the fence the night of TET 68. He was a hero.
February 2002
