27 Mar 2008 My cousin Robert died on Hamburger Hill in Quang Nam, South Vietnam. He is the only son of Donald Kleinsmith of Eugene Oregon. Robert Kleinsmith was 20 years old and not married. He died of wounds from grenade shrapnel and small arms fire while serving in Quang Nang Province with Third Battalion, Fifth Marines, of the First Marine Division. Born in Eugene, Kleinsmith was a 1966 graduate of Sheldon High School. He entered the Marine Corps in June, 1968, mos 0311, and left for Vietnam 4 Dec (1968). He served our country less than a year. Besides his father, Donald Kleinsmith of of 2785 Taylor St., Eugene, Oregon, he was survived by his mother, Stella Smith of Des Plaines IL, two sisters, Jacqueline and Jeannine, both of Eugene; his stepmother, Giselle Kleinsmith; two stepbrothers, Ricky Denham of Eugene and Dennis Denham of the U.S. Navy; a step sister, Kathleen Whitehead of Seattle and grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. L. E. Kleinsmith of Eugene and Mr. and Mrs. Lee Bodda of Winston OR. Robert's body was recovered and services were performed by Poole-Larsen Funeral Home in Eugene, Oregon. Robert's awards included the Purple Heart. His name is located on Panel 25 West, line 073. Robert's name was placed on the NASA STARDUST spacecraft that visited Comet Wild 2 in 2004 and continues to orbit in space. From his first cousin, Joseph Wayne Kleinsmith SFC US Army (Retired) 1971-1991 jkleinsmith@yahoo.com

 

A Note from The Virtual Wall Although elements of the 101st Airborne Division began the fight which became known as "Hamburger Hill" on 11 May 1969, the Marines were not involved in that action. On 12 May 1969, Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines was under the operational control of the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, participating in a search-and-destroy operation along the north bank of the Thu Bon River, about 4 kilometers north of the An Hoa Combat Base. The following extracts are taken from the 2/5 Marines' operations log for 12 May - at 12 noon, 2 pm, and 8:30 pm: While The Virtual Wall cannot determine who was killed in which incident, we do know the 14 men from Lima 3/5 who were killed in action on 12 May were HM3 Jerome Menter, Englewood, NJ, Corpsman, H&S Co with L/3/5 LCpl Roy L. Baldwin, Donnellson, IL LCpl Richard T. Miller, Hermiston, OR LCpl Thomas A. Stratton, Seneca, PA LCpl Esteban A. Trevino, Bay City, TX Pfc Charles W. Ford, Louisville, KY Pfc Robert L. Kleinsmith, Eugene, OR Pfc Carl E. Packard, Shelton, CT Pfc Ernest A. Pinamonti, Inglewood, CA Pfc Marion D. Powell, Vine Grove, KY Pfc Alan N. Prentice, Rolla, MO Pfc Edward R. Tolley, Lorain, OH Pfc Rodger A. Vandergriff, Knoxville, TN Pfc Dennis H. Wright, San Jose, CA

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