In Memory

David Oberle



 
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02/09/15 07:03 PM #1    

William (Randy) Sturgeon

David Oberle and I were best friends for a few years when we were in elementary school.  He was a very nice and quiet guy.  He lived on acreage with sheds and trees that were great for “playing army”.  He had some neat old 30-06 rifle stocks that we used as our guns and that made it even more fun.  I can’t remember why or when we drifted apart but I lost track of him in intermediate school.  After seeing his name at the last reunion’s “In Memory Table” and learning that he died in Vietnam, I had a chance to visit the Vietnam Memorial and looked up his name.  A docent told me that “Marine Corps Lance Corporal David Alan Oberle died from small arms fire on October 18, 1967 (at age 20) in Quang Tri Province, South Vietnam.  Such a shame and so unfair - we who did not go to Vietnam are so lucky.  David is buried at Oakmont Memorial Park in Lafayette. 


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From http://www.vvmf.org/Wall-of-Faces/38485/DAVID-A-OBERLE


02/10/15 11:28 AM #2    

David Finster

Though arelatively small proportion of the total population went to Vietnam (somewhere around three million over the course of the war), I haven't run into many families or communities who weren't affected by the war. My cousin Roger Smeds served there; My wife's cousin Don Watkins served there in the 173rd Airborne Brigade (same time and location I was there, different units); another cousin,Daniel Rapp, was an Army Radio Operator in Vietnam 1971-72, died in 1982 of war-related issues; and another cousin, Kenneth Marvin Hatcher was killed there at Long Khánh, Dong Thap, Vietnam, on 19 April 1971, serving with the Navy Seabees.

Welcome Home , David Oberle. We'll be joining you someday. Rest in Peace.


02/10/15 11:36 AM #3    

David Finster

David's name is on panel 28 East, Row 39, on the Vietnam Memorial Wall.


02/10/15 11:04 PM #4    

Donald Segraves

I remember David real well. He was in one of my classes 6th grade at Oak Park or freshman year at PHHS. We were in a few PE classes together. I had joined the Air Force and was home on leave when I read in the Tribune about Dave. Years later while employed at the VA Hospital in Livermore(next to Wente Winery), I saw a book about the Wall in DC and looked up his name. It said too, that he was killed in Quan Tri provence. in 1967. He was in the Marines.  Never looked up where the location was but I figure it may have been up in I Corps area, up north. I say that because I was stationed at Tan Son Nhut air base(Saigon airport) and we were in III Corps in the delta in Gia Dinh Provence. So alot of stuff happening was "up north". Yes, I knew David

At Lackland AFB, Tx in 2012, memebers of our SP Sq. had a ceremony remembering TET 1968, where many VC attacked the base and AF Security Policeman were killed and WIA. They had a "moving wall" there and I asked to look up Dave's name and what panel it was located. I walked over, got shaky and almost broke up, but didnt. As Maynard j Krebbs used to say on the Dobie Gillis show, My eyes got misty. No tears but very watery. All the best Dave. As the motto says," All gave some and some gave all." That about sums it up.


02/11/15 11:14 AM #5    

David Finster

You're right, Don. Quang Tri was up north, near Hue. The citiy of Quang Tri and the town of Dong Ha are located there. NOTE to any non-Vetnam Vets reading this. The Corps areas that vets often speak of were the corps of the ARVN, the South Vietnamese Army, and Quang Tri was part of ICorps arae. Always pronounced "Eye Core" in the service.


02/11/15 11:19 AM #6    

Myke Haab (Judd)

I got to know Dave when he sat behind me in Civics. I really liked him a lot & he helped me tremendously when I was a Homecoming Q candidate; making & putting up posters & giving me so much moral support. He also gave me my slogan & he was so pleased that I used it. Lost touch with him when I went off to college & he went to Viet Nam & I was very very saddened to learn of his passing. So young & so vital!


02/14/15 11:20 AM #7    

Frederick Maloon

Randy, thanks for putting this up.  I checked the records for "The Wall" a while ago and I beleive David was the only member of the class to die during the war.http://marines.togetherweserved.com/usmc/servlet/tws.webapp.WebApp?cmd=ShadowBoxProfile&type=Person&ID=121369

 

This link above provides a brief description of the action in which LCPL Oberle was killed.  RIP Marine.  


02/28/15 09:33 AM #8    

Paul Lamborn

I remember hearing of Davids death in the war early on and also of another phhs student a year ahead of us. Last nane of Riley, his first name escapes me right now. Both names remind me of that war, many thoughts on the subject. Way too young to die!


02/28/15 04:36 PM #9    

Greg Bayol

It was Jim Riley.


03/02/15 01:41 PM #10    

Michelle Dell'Ergo (Aiken)

Craig Cox and either Gary or Larry Allen. Then a year or more after that , the other Allen twin was killed helping someone change a flat tire outside the Caldecott Tunnel. So sad !! The Allens were 64' grads.


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