William J Zeltner, III

The database page for William J Zeltner, III

21 Dec 1998 REMEMBERED by a cousin, Diane whnl46a@prodigy.com

19 Oct 2003 The photos and following article is taken from The Philadelphia Daily News, special supplement entitled 'SIX HUNDRED AND THIRTY,' October 26, 1987. The special supplement was issued in conjunction with the dedication of the Philadelphia Viet Nam Memorial. "Bill" Zeltner had told his parents he would not enlist to fight in Viet Nam, but went after being drafted in September 1968. The light weapons infantryman felt a deep empathy for Vietnamese children, and wrote home asking for balloons and other toys because many of the youngsters the corporal encountered had so little. Zeltner was assigned to Company A of the 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry, 196th Infantry Brigade. He died on August 22, 1969, at the age of 20. Zeltner had told friends his ambition was to return home, go to work for Philadelphia Electric Co. and buy a new Buick Riviera. The George Washington High School graduate was survived by his parents, a brother and four sisters. From a native Philadelphian and Vietnam veteran, Jim McIlhenney christianamacks@comcast.net

A Note from The Virtual Wall Pages 190-195 of Keith William Nolan's "Death Valley, The Summer Offensive I Corps, August 1969" contains a detailed account of an incident involving "A" Company, 4/31st Infantry: "The morning of August 22 ... Alpha 4-31 and Charlie 2-1 hiked towards Hill 102... Alpha Two under 2dLt Stephen Moore was on point... A tree line intersected their dike... Moore sent one squad around one side of it while he and his platoon sergeant went around the other with Holtzman's squad... a North Vietnamese killed him (Moore) at perhaps ten feet with an M79 to the chest... In moments the North Vietnamese had killed four men from the lead platoon and wounded four more." The four dead were 1LT Stephen D. Moore, Fair Oaks, CA CPL William J. Zeltner, Philadelphia, PA PFC Daniel H. Love, Watkins Glen, NY PFC Darrell D. Taylor, Vicksburg, MI

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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