Mark Ernest Stoltenburg

Mark Ernest Stoltenburg was born in Mankato, MN and was raised in Ortonville, MN and Watertown, SD. He graduated from Watertown High School in the class of 1963. Stolenburg’s interests included motorcycles, hunting, and riding horses. His dream career was in law enforcement. Shortly after graduation he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. Stoltenburg completed training at Camp Pendleton and Paris Island. His first assignment was in Okinawa, Japan before being deployed to South Vietnam in January 1966 as a rifleman with the 3rd Marine Division. CPL Stoltenburg was killed by gunshot wounds to the chest and abdomen on July 21, 1966 while on a patrol in Quang Tri Province. Six other Americans were killed in the incident. His body was buried with military honors at the Mount Hope Cemetery in Watertown, SD. Stoltenburg had family connections to Clinton, IA and military documents listed Clinton as his home of record. His father Ernest was a proud WWII veteran.