From the Grand Rapids Press of Sunday, November 11, 1979 "On Veterans Day, A Soldier Remembered:"
From the citation for the Bronze Star medal, with oak leaf cluster, awarded posthumously to Larry DeBoer:
"Specialist DeBoer distinguished himself while serving as a rifleman in Company C, 3d Battalion (Airmobile), 506th Infantry, during combat operations in Cambodia.
While fighting a large enemy force, Specialist DeBoer noticed a severely wounded soldier lying in an open area and maneuvered under intense hostile fire to the man's position. He returned a heavy volume of suppresive fire on the insurgents, carried his wounded comrade to a one-man trench, placed the man inside, and provided protective fire. When an enemy hand grenade landed near his position, Specialist DeBoer threw himself over the wounded man, shielding him with his body, and was seriously wounded.
Despite his wounds, Specialist DeBoer continued fighting until he was mortally wounded by hostile fire. ....
Larry graduated from Hope College in 1967 and had been working on a master degree in biology at Western Michigan University when drafted in December, 1968"
Larry died May 10, 1970.
Rest in peace classmate, brother, soldier, child of God.
Ross Glass (Glass)
From the Grand Rapids Press of Sunday, November 11, 1979 "On Veterans Day, A Soldier Remembered:"
From the citation for the Bronze Star medal, with oak leaf cluster, awarded posthumously to Larry DeBoer:
"Specialist DeBoer distinguished himself while serving as a rifleman in Company C, 3d Battalion (Airmobile), 506th Infantry, during combat operations in Cambodia.
While fighting a large enemy force, Specialist DeBoer noticed a severely wounded soldier lying in an open area and maneuvered under intense hostile fire to the man's position. He returned a heavy volume of suppresive fire on the insurgents, carried his wounded comrade to a one-man trench, placed the man inside, and provided protective fire. When an enemy hand grenade landed near his position, Specialist DeBoer threw himself over the wounded man, shielding him with his body, and was seriously wounded.
Despite his wounds, Specialist DeBoer continued fighting until he was mortally wounded by hostile fire. ....
Larry graduated from Hope College in 1967 and had been working on a master degree in biology at Western Michigan University when drafted in December, 1968"
Larry died May 10, 1970.
Rest in peace classmate, brother, soldier, child of God.