22 Nov 2005 John Stoneburner was our neighbor for many years when I was growing up in Tucson, Arizona. He was very handsome and always kind to everyone. My parents were good friends with John and Barbara, his wife. My sister and I played with his daughters, Leslie and Jeanine. He had graduated from West Point and was in the Army. I know he had two brothers who were killed in war. He later had a son, Karl, who the entire family adored!! I was 13 when I found out that John had been killed in Vietnam, and I can remember our entire family was devastated. I thought that John was old when he died, until I found out that he was only 34. I know his family still mourns his loss. He missed his children growing up and he wasn't able to grow old with Barbara and enjoy their grandchildren. I cannot imagine the pain his parents endured after losing their three sons in war. I was so proud to know John. I visited his Wall in DC this past summer and I touched his name. So many memories came back from years gone by that made me smile as my tears flowed. It has been almost 41 years (December 9, 1964) since you left us. A very belated thank you, John, for giving the ultimate gift of your life so that we are able to experience all those things that you so generously gave up. I will forever remember you as a brave and valiant HERO. I wish your family God's peace. If Barbara, Leslie, Jeanine or Karl read this, I would so enjoy hearing from you. Opening this memorial for John was such an honor. "To live in the hearts we leave behind, is never to have died." - Thomas Campbell, circa 1888 - Rebecca (Dormire) LaRussa rebecca.larussa@comcast.net

 

A Note from The Virtual Wall On 09 December 1964 the Viet Cong attacked an ARVN position at Hill 159, about 4 kilometers southeast of Tam Ky in Quang Tin Province. American advisors were with the ARVN infantry, both Marines and Army personnel from MACV's Advisory Team 3. In addition to the Americans on the ground, the ARVN forces were supported by the Marines of HMM-365, a UH-34 helicopter squadron. At day's end, two of the ground Marines had been wounded and two Army officers killed - MAJ John F. Stoneburner and 1LT Brian K. Skinner of Denver, Colorado. Mrs. LaRussa comments that Major Stoneburner had two brothers killed in action - and he did. 1LT William N. Stoneburner, 26 May 1921 - 17 October 1943 337th Bomb Squadron, 96th Bomb Group (H), 8th Air Force Missing in Action after his B-17F went down over the English Channel. Body not recovered. PFC Earl R. Stoneburner, 23 December 1923 - 08 April 1945 Company G, 309th Infantry Regiment, 78th Infantry Division Killed in Action, Lichtenberg, Germany. Buried in the Oakwood Cemetery, Bucyrus, Ohio. MAJ John F. Stoneburner, 19 June 1930 - 09 December 1964 Advisory Team 3, MACV Killed in Action, Tam Ky, Quang Tin Province, RVN. Buried in the U. S. Military Academy Cemetery, West Point, New York. Oakwood Cemetery, Bucyrus, Ohio

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