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In Memory of US Army Sergeant First Class

Donald Duane Korb

Aberdeen, South Dakota, Brown County

October 31, 1933 -- June 21, 1968

Killed in Action in Vietnam

   

Donald Duane Korb was born on October 31, 1933, in Isabel, South Dakota, to Lee and Ida (Stelzer) Korb. He has one brother, Harlan, and four sisters: Velma, Sylvia, Darlene, and Norma. Donald attended schools in Isabel and Aberdeen; Donald first joined the military when he was 16, but when it was discovered he was underage, he was discharged. After that he worked for a time in Aberdeen. On December 18, 1949, Donald married Valletta Grace Clark in Aberdeen; they had two sons, Lee and Duane Korb.

Donald Korb entered the service for a second time on July 13, 1951. During the Korean War, he earned the Combat Infantryman Badge and the Bronze Star Medal. After being based at Fort Ord, California, Donald attended infantry school at Fort Benning, Georgia, where he completed the school’s advance non-commissioned officer’s course. His last entry into the service was September 21, 1962 in Hawaii, after which he is known to have taken part in the “Dominican Republic police action” of 1966. Before he went overseas, he spent a day with his sister, Darlene, and her family in Washington. When Darlene said goodbye to him, she said, “I’ll see you when you come back,” and she recalls that his response was “No, Darlene, I’m not coming back.” He was sent overseas to Vietnam on March 2, 1968 as a Sergeant First Class in Company A, 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry, and 101st Airborne Division.

Army Sergeant First Class Donald Duane Korb was killed in action in southern Vietnam on June 21, 1968, “from wounds received during hostile ground action.” After his body was returned to the United States, his family had a small, private viewing, which helped bring closure to his parents. He was then buried with military honors at North Carolina Memorial Park in Fayetteville. At the time of his death, he had served in the military for over 16 years. A fellow soldier posted the following to the www.vvmf.org site in memory of Donald: “Sorry, Sarg, I could not get to you. Doc”

Donald is currently survived by his sons, Lee and Duane, and their families, and his siblings: Mrs. Velma (Jake) Hettich, Mrs. Sylvia (Walter) Hettich, Mrs. Darlene (Frank) Deline, and Mrs. Norma (Allen) Sonnenfeld.

This entry was respectfully submitted by Billy McCarty, 8th grade, Spearfish Middle School, Spearfish South Dakota, on March 29, 2006. Information for this entry was provided by a South Dakota Vietnam veteran’s bonus application, the Aberdeen American News, July 30, 1968, and www.vvmf.org. Additional information/ profile approval by the Korb family via Darlene Deline.