Alan David Gardner (1939 - 1970)

Born 3 Mar 1939 in Lewisburg, Union County, Pennsylvania, United States

Ancestors

Died 27 Jun 1970 at age 31 in Kon Tum, Kon Tum, Vietnam

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Beverly Benfer [send private message]

Biography

Major Alan Gardner served in the United States Army in the Vietnam War
Service started: June 1962
Unit(s): 5th Special Forces Group
Service ended: 27 June 1970

Major Alan Gardner was Killed in Action in Vietnam during the Vietnam War.

Alan Gardner was born in March 1939 in Lewisburg, Union County, Pennsylvania.^[1] His parents were Robert Anthony Gardner and Mary Helen Holmes.

He graduated from Lewisburg Area High School in 1957. He then attended Bucknell University in Lewisburg where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering in 1962. While at Bucknell he joined the ROTC (Reserve Officers' Training Corps) program. In 1960 he was awarded the Military Order of World Wars Award, which was presented to ". . .the ROTC student who stimulates love of our country and flag. The recipient must be one who defends the honor, integrity, and supremacy of our National Government and the Constitution of the United States."^[2]

He married Judith B. Sturgen (1939–2016). They had one daughter and one son. His son was born in November 1970, five months after Alan's death.^[3]

In June 1962 he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the regular army. He reported for active duty with the 307th Engineers Battalion at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.^[4]

He began his tour of duty in Vietnam on 28 August 1969 and advanced to the rank of Major, serving in the 31st Engineering Detachment, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne).

5th Special Forces Group.^[5],^[6],^[7]

Alan passed away at age 31 in June 1970 in a helicopter crash in Kon Tum, South Vietnam. He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Arlington County, Virginia (Plot: Section 46, Grave 366-10).^[8] His wife, Judith, did not remarry. She was buried with Alan when she died in 2016.^[9]

Major Alan D. Gardner is remembered on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C.: Panel W9, Line 98.^[10] ,^[11]

Sources

1. ↑ "United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V3P4-928 : 11 January 2021), Alan Gardner, Jun 1970; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).
2. ↑ ROTC Award: The Daily Item newspaper; Sunbury, Pennsylvania; 16 May 1960, Monday; Page 10; Column 3; Clipped from Newspapers.com
3. ↑ Birth of son: The Daily Item newspaper; Sunbury, Pennsylvania; 25 Nov 1970, Wednesday; Page 42, Column 8; Clipped from Newspapers.com
4. ↑ The Daily Item newspaper; Sunbury, Pennsylvania; 26 June 1962, Tuesday; Page 8, Column 3; Clipped from Newspapers.com
5. ↑ "United States Casualties of Army Personnel, Dependents and Civilian Employees, 1961-1981," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KXCZ-SHF : 12 December 2014), Alan D Gardner, 27 Jun 1970; citing Death, , NARA NAID 641697, National Archives at College Park, Maryland.
6. ↑ "United States Military Personnel who Died During the Vietnam War, 1956-2003", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KXXY-J4V : 22 January 2021), Alan David Gardner, 1970.
7. ↑ "United States Casualties of the Vietnam War, 1956-1998," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KXZ4-7LC : 12 December 2014), Alan David Gardner, NARA NAID 306742, National Archives at College Park, Maryland.
8. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (http://www.findagrave.com/memorial/128413239/alan-david-gardner : accessed 14 June 2021), memorial page for Alan David Gardner (3 Mar 1939–27 Jun 1970), Find a Grave Memorial ID 128413239, citing Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Arlington County, Virginia, USA ; Maintained by David McInturff (contributor 47179039) .
9. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (http://www.findagrave.com/memorial/173470944/judith-gardner : accessed 14 June 2021), memorial page for Judith Sturgen Gardner (28 Nov 1939–24 Nov 2016), Find a Grave Memorial ID 173470944, citing Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Arlington County, Virginia, USA ; Maintained by Paul Hays (contributor 47393402) .
10. ↑ Fold3; the interactive Vietnam Veterans Memorial; photographed by Peter Krogh; https://www.fold3.com/image/48064217?rec=48264244&terms=gardner,alan,david
11. ↑ The Virtual Wall for The Vietnam Veterans Memorial, https://www.virtualwall.org/dg/GardnerAD01a.htm

• Obituary: The Daily Item newspaper; Sunbury, Pennsylvania; 10 July 1970, Friday; Page 4; Column 3; Clipped from Newspapers.com