Peter Patrick Murner, Jr

The database page for Peter Patrick Murner, Jr

20 Aug 2004 "Not for fame or reward, not for place or for rank, but in simple obedience to duty, as they understood it." Confederate Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery A memorial initiated by his daughter, Ricki

Notes from The Virtual Wall The following is exerpted from the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans' Memorial site: Peter Patrick Murner, Jr. was born on May 13, 1945 in Brooklyn, NY to Mr. and Mrs. Peter P. Murner. He resided in Hillsdale, NJ for 18 years with his parents and sister, Maureen. Peter graduated from Don Bosco High School and then attended Mount St. Mary's College in Emmitsburg, MD where he received a Bachelor of Science degree. Murner enlisted in the US Marine Corps in 1967 from Hillsdale, NJ. He went on to attain the rank of Second Lieutenant (2LT) at Quantico, VA. In June 1968, he married Constance Drews. He was sent to Vietnam on August 4, 1968 where he served with the 3rd Motor Brigade [sic], 3rd Division. On August 26, 1968 at the age of 23, Murner was killed in action. He was survived by his parents, sister, wife and a daughter, Ricki. A mass was held at St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church and [he] was buried in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Paterson, NJ. The New Jersey Memorial consists of one panel for each day of the year, with the names of those who died engraved upon the appropriate panel. 2ndLt Murner's name appears on the 26 August panel together with six other men: SP4 Jules T. Girtanner, Neshanic, NJ, 4th MSFC, 5th SF (08/26/1966) SFC Donald L. Lehew, Salem, NJ, 4th MSFC, 5th SF (08/26/1966) (Dist Svc Cross) SP4 John Curtin, Hopatcong, NJ, D/2/27th Infantry (08/26/1968) 2ndLt Peter P. Murner, Hillsdale, NJ, A/3rd MT Bn, 3rd MarDiv (08/26/1968) SP4 Dennis J. Cannito, West New York, NJ, C/4/31st Infantry (08/26/1969) SGT Norman R. Hetzel, Mahwah, NJ, B/4/31st Infantry (08/26/1969) SSG Robert N. Vennik, Wyckoff, NJ, B/1/1st Cavalry (08/26/1971) The first two men died in the same battle; SFC Lehew was posthumously awarded the Army's second highest award for valor. 2ndLt Murner and SP4 Curtin died on the same day, although hundreds of miles apart, Murner in the north and Curtin in the south. Sgt Hetzel and SP4 Cannito both were in the 4th Bn, 31st Infantry, and both died in the same fight in Quang Tin Province. SSgt Vennick died two years later in Quang Nam, just north of Quang Tin; his body wasn't recovered until 02 Feb 2001, seven years after the New Jersey Memorial was dedicated. And there's another Marine, Pfc Glenn E. Truex of Park Ridge, New Jersey, who served with C Company, 7th Engineer Bn, 1st MarDiv, and was killed in action on 26 August 1969 ... but his name appears on the New Jersey Memorial panel for 22 Aug 1969, together with Sgt Robert M. Worshinski, USAF, and PFC Anthony V. Mione, US Army.

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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 08/10/2009