Daniel Loyd Poff

Sergeant
HQ COMPANY, 1ST CAVALRY DIVISION, USARV
Army of the United States
08 September 1947 - 23 February 1969
Vancouver, Washington
Panel 31W Line 016

USARV 1 CAV DIV
Combat Infantry

Purple Heart, National Defense, Vietnam Service, Vietnam Campaign

The database page for Daniel Loyd Poff

25 Jun 2001

I was classmates with DANIEL LOYD POFF in the 1960's in Vancouver, WA. He was a very fine person, with a good sense of humor. His loss was felt very much in Vancouver. Now may he rest in Peace, in the golden light of eternal Love, from now and forever more!

Greg Payne
700 Veterans Drive, The Dalles, Or 97058
teetee199thib@usa.com

30 May 2005

Tacoma Man Dies in VN - A Tacoma Army man was among several Washington State soldiers who have died recently in Vietnam, the Defense Department announced Tuesday.

Spec. 4 William B. Scott, son of Mr. and Mrs. Jack Scott, of 4330 S. J St. died not as a result of hostile action, the report indicated.

Another Army man, Sgt. David L. Poff, of Vancouver was listed as killed in action and two Navy men, Lt. Cmdr. Rodney Chapman (town of record Alpena MI) and Aviation Structural Mechanic 1.C. Stanley M. Jerome, (town of record Detroit MI) both of Oak Harbor, were changed from missing to killed in action.

(Tacoma News-Tribune, Tacoma WA, 25 Feb 1969)

Sgt. Dan Poff Viet casualty - Among the victims of the new round of attacks that began during the weekend in Vietnam against allied military installations and population centers was Sgt. Daniel L. Poff of Vancouver, who died early Sunday, the Defense Department announced Monday. The 21-year-old soldier, son of Mr. and Mrs. Cecil B. Poff of 2801 N. W. 91st St., was killed at about 3:30 a.m., when enemy forces launched a mortar attack against the base camp, where he was serving with Headquarters and Headquarters Company of the 1st Air Cavalry Division. Poff was the 44th member of the armed forces with Clark County ties to die in the Vietnam war. He had almost completed his tour of duty overseas, having been in Vietnam 11 months. During that time he had participated in the Awshaw (sic) Valley sweep and in several other dangerous missions. Though he was born in Minneapolis on 8 Sep 1947, Poff had lived most of his life here. He was graduated from Columbia River High School in 1965, and was a member of the track team there in his senior year. He attended Clark College for two years before entering the Army in October 1967. In addition to his parents, the sergeant is survived by brothers, Timothy and James, and a sister, Kim. Funeral services are pending at Vancouver Funeral Chapel. Details will be announced after the body is returned from overseas.

(The Columbian, Vancouver WA, 25 Feb 1969)

Articles and photo courtesy of
Darilee Bednar
faces@facesfromthewall.com

Faces from the Wall

04 May 2006

My name is Jeff Duvall and I served with Dan Poff in Vietnam. Dan and I did not just serve together, we were good friends in the same squad and shared a bunker together. I remember the last time I saw Dan was when he went off on R&R, and before he returned to the unit I had been seriously wounded. A number of months later, while I was recovering in a hospital, I got the bad news that Dan had been killed just before he was due to go home.

I still remember what a gentle and kind man he was and a good friend. I also remember he had a pretty girlfriend back in Washington State waiting for him and what sounded like a great life awaiting him. I lost other comrades but the loss of Dan hit me the hardest.

After all these years it was quite powerful and sad for me to find The Virtual Wall page dedicated to Dan Poff and included his photo.

Sgt. Jeff Duvall
Echo Company, 1/5, 1st Cavalry Div.
Vietnam, May-November, 1968
Arlington, Virginia
jeffduvall@gmail.com

12 Apr 2007

Thank you to Sergeant Daniel Poff and other soldiers who served our country in our hour of great need. Sergeant Poff and the other courageous men and women who served our country during the Vietnam War should be treasured as our national heroes. I want to thank you for the sacrifices that you have made in the name of freedom, hope, and humanity for generations to come.

Sincerely,
Eugenia Chow
aznyogibear008@hotmail.com

A Note from The Virtual Wall

Four men were killed in an early-morning raid on the 1st Cav's main camp:
  • HQ Company, 1st Cav Div
    • SGT Daniel L. Poff, Vancouver, WA
    • SGT David H. Sundquist, Minneapolis, MN

  • A Co, 13th Sig Bn, 1st Cav Div
    • SP4 James Berends, Baltimore, MD

  • D Co, 229th AHB, 1st Cav Div
    • SFC Edward B. Steele, Douglas, WY



The other men named in the Ms. Bednar's first article above are
  • SP4 William B. Scott, 116th AHC, killed when UH-1C tail number 66-00661 crashed on 21 Feb 69.
  • LCDR Rodney M. Chapman and AMS1 Stanley M. Jerome, both of VAH-10, killed 18 Feb 1969 when KA-3B tail number 138943 crashed while flying from the USS CORAL SEA.




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With all respect
Jim Schueckler, former CW2, US Army
Ken Davis, Commander, United States Navy (Ret)
Memorial first published on 25 Jun 2001
Last updated 11/13/2010