Remembering

Daniel Lynn Neiswender

First Lieutenant, Army of the United States

D CO, 3RD BN, 506TH INF RGT, 101 ABN DIV

From South Laguna, CA

09 October 1946 - 23 November 1968

Daniel Lynn Neiswender is on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Panel 38W Line 045.

Dan and I went from fourth grade through two years of college together. We were drafted about four months apart in 1966. I last saw Dan when I was home on leave in 1967. He had completed OCS some time before, and I was going to report for armor AIT at Fort Knox, Ky. I was discharged from the Army in August of 1968. Several months later I learned of his death. So I too shared a loss like so many others. I often wonder what went through his mind during the last day of his life. Growing up in the laid back lifestyle of south Orange County, CA in the 1950's and 60's, ours was a life very far removed from the world let alone Viet Nam. This war like many others, would change our young lives, friends and families forever.

He was the only friend I lost in Viet Nam. Since that time, a week does not go by that I don't think of him, and of all the others that will always be young men and women ... forever young. I wonder what his life would have been like, his wife, children, and would our friendship of fourteen years lasted into later life.

He was an intelligent, intense, loyal and tough individual.
I laugh at some of the stupid things we did together;
thoughts of those times will be part of me until we meet again.

A friend, classmate, and brother in arms, Dan Nieswender... hand salute!!!

The point-of-contact for this memorial is
his friend,
Keith Fullenwider
Capistrano Beach, California

sanguinecb@aol.com 

The database page for Daniel Lynn Neiswender