William Francis Kern

William Francis Kern was the first Kossuth County fatality of the Vietnam War. He graduated from Algona High School in the class of 1964 and was drafted by the Army the following year. SP4 Kern started a tour in Vietnam on February 15, 1966. In April he was wounded by a snipers bullet and temporarily hospitalized while he recuperated. Shortly after returning to his unit, SP4 Kern was killed in action. He died on October 8, 1966 when his patrol was ambushed. His entire patrol was wiped out, including SP4 Kern, eleven soldiers were killed. SP4 Kern was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star. The 21-year-old’s body was returned to Iowa and buried at the East Lawn Cemetery in Algona.