Steven Dale Karnehm

The database page for Steven Dale Karnehm

19 May 2002 The Vietnam War touched many of us - some our parents and some our grandparents, maybe even you. The number of lives lost in so little time is amazing. 58,000 ... that may be just a number to some people but to others one or more may be a close friend or relative. I never thought I'd see a soldier cry but when my class and I went to Washington D.C. and laid our poems that we wrote ourselves at the Wall we saw people including soldiers walk up and down, back and forth looking at our poems and when they left they left with tears in their eyes - that's the greatest feeling. So I leave with whomever reads this a little saying "A small thing like a poem can leave a deep impact on someone's life and that's a great feeling." I may be only 12 years old but I learned so much! Hailey Walters E-Mail may be forwarded via the Webmaster@VirtualWall.org

A Note from The Virtual Wall Four men of the 187th Assault Helicopter Company died when their UH-1H Huey (tail number 67-17371) crashed: WO1 Steven Dale Karnehm, pilot; CPT John Julliano Kintaro, copilot; SGT Edwin Allen Kudlacek, gunner; and SP4 Luis Hector Campos, crew chief. Karnehm's aircraft was number six in a flight of eight aircraft returning from Song Be airstrip to Di An. During the flight low clouds and heavy rain forced the flight to very low altitudes. Karnehm's aircraft impacted trees and crashed in flames. Four of the remaining UH-1s proceeded onward, while three attempted a search for the wreckage before being forced from the area due to weather. After about an hour and a half the weather cleared sufficiently to resume the search and the wreckage was located. One survivor, Captain R. Greenfield (a passenger aboard the aircraft), was picked up using a jungle penetrator. Captain Greenfield reported that the other four men were dead. The weather was again deteriorating, forcing the rescue aircraft to leave the area. A ground team returned the next day and recovered the bodies of the four crewmen.

The point-of-contact for this memorial is a ceremonial friend, Hailey Walters E-Mail may be forwarded via the Webmaster@VirtualWall.org 19 May 2002

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With all respect
Jim Schueckler, former CW2, US Army
Ken Davis, Commander, United States Navy (Ret)
Channing Prothro, former CAP Marine
Last updated 10/08/2004