Kenneth Romaine Totten, Jr

The database page for Kenneth Romaine Totten, Jr

9 Dec 2001 I met Kenny Totten the summer of 1967. He hung around the local beach in our town, playing tether ball and just being an all around wonderful, funny, HANDSOME boy. He was getting ready to go into the Marines! He was pretty proud of himself. Kenny Totten made a HUGE impression on a young girl - just starting high school, he was the "older" guy, I had such a crush on him. He seemed so alive and still does to me, I remember the last time I saw him, it was at our local train station, he was in uniform and his beautiful blonde hair was cut in a crewcut and his blue eyes shone, he cut a beautiful look in his uniform. I have never forgotten you, Kenny - your kindness to a young, pimple-faced teenage girl with a huge crush on him was beyond - you were a nice boy!!! I have always felt that a tiny part of me died when I heard you had been killed, it just seemed wrong and it still does. You were just a baby, I am now 49 and I have never forgotten you. You are a hero Kenny, I always felt Brewster should have acknowledged that more. Thank you for taking the time with me - I owe you. You were beautiful inside and out. I was proud and so lucky to have been allowed to know you. Thank you for protecting our country. From a lucky friend, Catherine Pitkat-Bargh E-mail address is not available.

23 July 2002 To this young mans family: I did not know who he was but my other brother noticed as he was searching this web site that this young man died on the same day and in the same place where our brother died - Donald Albert Warren. We feel they must have been together. I just wanted to let you know we feel your loss. My brother Donald was only 22. Knowing my brother we know that he took Kenneth under his wing. God Bless you and your family. Gloria repik@cox.net A note from The Virtual Wall Sergeant Donald Albert Warren Bravo 1/26 Marines was killed in the same action as Private First Class Totten.

14 May 2003 To the family of Kenneth Totten I knew you well ... I was your neighbor for many years and became really good friends with his sister Margaret and they had another sister Linda. My name was Betty Lou Stoll - we lived up the hill from you in Mahopac Falls. If you and your family see this please contact me. I had a wild crush on Kenny and felt his loss too but I was young then and didn't realize the impact it must have had on the family with him being the only son. To everyone in his family, may God Bless and know that some day you will all see each other again... From an old friend from Mahopac Falls, Betty Lou Ross (Stoll) 9115 Highland Hills Dr, Leland NC betsymb2@yahoo.com

04 Oct 2005 Kenny Totten... what a nice, nice guy. I didn't know Kenny until my teens and met him in Carmel High School. Come to find out, Kenny and I were related; my Grandmother was Mildred Totten. When I think of a nice guy, I think of Kenny. So sweet, so kind. I went to his funeral. How sad. The whole thing is a sad situation. As nice a young man that he was, he would have been a GREAT older man. What a loss. I have a copy of his obituary. Eleanor Totten and I are doing our family trees and she gave me a copy. Every time I look at his picture, it breaks my heart. God Bless you, Kenny. From a cousin, Marsha Mayes (Roger's daughter) 5705 Heron Lane # 802, Naples, Fl 34110 marcygirl@aol.com

A Note from The Virtual Wall The action by Bravo 1/26 on 30 March 1968 was reflected only by a brief comment in the Battalion's Operations Journal: "30 MAR 1968 SUMMARY: Co B conducted a search and destroy mission. During this patrol Co B received mortar and small arms fire causing 71 WIA's, nine KIA's, and two MIA's." but there was more to it than that. Quoting from the 1/26 Command Chronology for March 1968, "Intelligence sources revealed that Company B met and defeated in detail the main elements of a NVA Battalion, inflicted 115 NVA KIA and destroyed numerous amounts of ammunition, weapons, and equipment. The operation resulted in ten friendly KIA, two MIA, and 100 WIA, 49 of which were evacuated. ... The agressive fighting spirit of Company B combined with supporting arms fire enabled the company to engage and defeat in detail a numerically superior enemy force entrenched in mutually supporting fortified positions, in the first planned offensive attack of a known enemy position in the battle for KHE SANH Combat Base." The twelve men who died in the engagement were 1stLt Marion H. Norman, Houston, TX (A Btry, 1st Bn, 13th Marines) Sgt Donald A. Warren, San Diego, CA Cpl David A. Aldrich, Gibsonburg, OH Cpl Albert R. Sanford, Russellville, KY (H&S Co with B/1/26) LCpl Wayne P. Moore, Plymouth, MA LCpl Author C. Smith, Glen Allen, AL Pfc David B. Anderson, Avoca, IA Pfc Ted D. Britt, Decatur, GA (Silver Star) Pfc Jimmie L. Jones, Cordova, AL Pfc Donald R. Rash, Pocahontas, VA (Navy Cross) Pfc Jose Ruiz, New York, NY Pfc Kenneth R. Totten, Brewster, NY 1stLt Norman was the Artillery Forward Observer; he was killed by a mortar shell which also seriously wounded the Bravo Company Commander, Captain K. W. Pipes, and all members of the company command group. The two men reported as missing in action were LCpl Author Smith and Pfc Ted Britt; their bodies were subsequently recovered.

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With all respect
Jim Schueckler, former CW2, US Army
Ken Davis, Commander, United States Navy (Ret)
Last updated 08/10/2009