William Owen Juergens

William Owen Juergens
U.S. Marine Corps
Lance Corporal [E-3]
Biography:
William Owen Juergens was a lifelong resident of Dubuque. He graduated from Wahlert High School in 1961 and was drafted by the Marine Corps in November 1965. The following April LCPL Juergens started his tour in Vietnam serving as a rifleman with the 3rd Marine Division near the DMZ. In a letter home to his uncle he wrote, “Over here (Vietnam) prayers are more important than bullets or bombs . . . when you see a friend die, you feel hatred, sorrow, and little despair all at once. I’ve only been here 4 ½ months and I’ve lost a lot of my friends already.” Seven days after writing to his uncle LCPL Juergens was killed in action. He died on September 8, 1966 from a wound to the chest during a fire fight with the enemy in the vicinity of An Dinh, South Vietnam. Four other Marines were killed during the engagement. The 20-year-old’s body was returned to Iowa and buried at the Mount Calvary Cemetery in Dubuque. LCPL Juergens was killed ten days shy of his 21st birthday.
County:
Dubuque
City of EntryDubuque
Conflict/Time PeriodVietnam War
Service Location
Organization(s)
Separation StatusKilled In Action (KIA)
Specialty/Rate
Specific Jobs