Following high school, Ken Kozai attended the University of New Mexico. Upon graduation he entered the U.S. Marines and became a helicopter rescue pilot. Ken was assigned to Viet Nam, and was killed in combat in (I believe) 1969. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery in Washington D.C.
Ken was born on the American island of Guam, and since he completed his college in New Mexico, he was a resident of New Mexico when he was killed. Consequently, Ken isn't listed as a "Nebraskan" as a Veteran Killed in Action, but as a "New Mexico" resident.
Quite by coincidence, in 1983 I was hiking with my wife in a private Veterans' Memorial Park located in the mountains of northern New Mexico, when I unexpectedly came upon a memorial marker with Ken's name. Even though I knew previously that Ken had been killed, seeing his memorial took me by shock, and I stopped and briefly burst into tears. I had to explain to my wife what was going on. For those who knew "Kenny", he was quite a jokester, and I think he would have enjoyed knowing that he had "got me" one more time even after he was gone.
I have visited the Viet Nam Memorial in Washington D.C. several times, and I always take time to look in the register and locate his name on "The Wall".
I am becoming very nostalgic in my old age. And one of the people I remember with great emotion from WHS was Ken Kozai.
I think I can say with come certainty that Ken and I were the best of friends. He would pick me up with his little Renault (only one of two in the US at the time I think) almost every day. I would copy his homework while we drove to school. Without Ken's help I would never had the grades to get in a good college.
We were both supposed to go to the United States Merchant Marine Academy in KIngs Point, NY but at the last minute Ken decided to take the Navy ROTC scholarship (we both had) and go to Brown. I decided to go to KP, which worked out well for me.
I have several stories about Ken, but too many to put down here. Only wish I had kept the ad Ken put in the Omaha World Herald challenging all the other High Schools to the "Thumb Wrestling Championship of Omaha." Oh yeah it actually happened. If I get back for the 2021 homecoming ask me about what happened when we went to Central High to thumb wrestle (not me him.) Oh. And no matter what Linda Siert may say I know NOTHING about putting Ken's Renault on the roof of the entrance to WHS. It was all Ken and Steve Durham's idea. Hope to see you in the Fall - God willin' and the crick don't rise and the COVID stays quiet.
Thomas Burton
Following high school, Ken Kozai attended the University of New Mexico. Upon graduation he entered the U.S. Marines and became a helicopter rescue pilot. Ken was assigned to Viet Nam, and was killed in combat in (I believe) 1969. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery in Washington D.C.
Ken was born on the American island of Guam, and since he completed his college in New Mexico, he was a resident of New Mexico when he was killed. Consequently, Ken isn't listed as a "Nebraskan" as a Veteran Killed in Action, but as a "New Mexico" resident.
Quite by coincidence, in 1983 I was hiking with my wife in a private Veterans' Memorial Park located in the mountains of northern New Mexico, when I unexpectedly came upon a memorial marker with Ken's name. Even though I knew previously that Ken had been killed, seeing his memorial took me by shock, and I stopped and briefly burst into tears. I had to explain to my wife what was going on. For those who knew "Kenny", he was quite a jokester, and I think he would have enjoyed knowing that he had "got me" one more time even after he was gone.
I have visited the Viet Nam Memorial in Washington D.C. several times, and I always take time to look in the register and locate his name on "The Wall".
Terry Busskohl
I am becoming very nostalgic in my old age. And one of the people I remember with great emotion from WHS was Ken Kozai.
I think I can say with come certainty that Ken and I were the best of friends. He would pick me up with his little Renault (only one of two in the US at the time I think) almost every day. I would copy his homework while we drove to school. Without Ken's help I would never had the grades to get in a good college.
We were both supposed to go to the United States Merchant Marine Academy in KIngs Point, NY but at the last minute Ken decided to take the Navy ROTC scholarship (we both had) and go to Brown. I decided to go to KP, which worked out well for me.
I have several stories about Ken, but too many to put down here. Only wish I had kept the ad Ken put in the Omaha World Herald challenging all the other High Schools to the "Thumb Wrestling Championship of Omaha." Oh yeah it actually happened. If I get back for the 2021 homecoming ask me about what happened when we went to Central High to thumb wrestle (not me him.) Oh. And no matter what Linda Siert may say I know NOTHING about putting Ken's Renault on the roof of the entrance to WHS. It was all Ken and Steve Durham's idea. Hope to see you in the Fall - God willin' and the crick don't rise and the COVID stays quiet.
Terry Busskohl
March 9, 2021