AVERY, ALLEN JAMES (1946-1966)

AVERY, LOTTMANN, ZUMMACK

Posted By: Linda Hagedorn Finley (email)
Date: 2/12/2014 at 11:16:04

Sumner Gazette - February 17, 1966 Page 1

First serviceman from this area to die in action

Private First Class Allen J. Avery, 19, of the United States Marine Corps, became the first Sumner serviceman to die in action in Viet Nam when the amphibious vehicle in which he was riding Monday, struck a land mine.

The Am-trac apparently burst into flame. Pfc. Avery's death was attributed to severe burns received over much of his body. In a telegram to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Avery of 409 West Fourth St., Sumner, Wallace McGreen, Commanding General of the U. S. Marine Corps confirmed Pvt. Avery's death.

General McGreen stated: "I deeply regret to confirm that your son, Pvt. 1c Allen J. Avery, USMC, died, Feb. 14, 1966, in the vicinity of Da Nang Republic of Viet Nam. He sustained multiple extreme burns on the entire body when the amphibious tractor he was riding in detonated a mine."

Mr. and Mrs. Avery had been notified of their son's death Tuesday night by Major William C. Frank, USMC, of the Marine Corps Recruiting office at Waterloo.

Pfc Avery had been stationed in Viet Nam since June, 1965. He enlisted in the U. S. Marine Corps on Dec. 31, 1964 and received his boot and combat training at Camp Pendleton, near San Diego, Calif.

Pvt. Avery was sent to Viet Nam in June and was assigned to duty guarding a machine gun area. He received a hand injury last fall, writing his parents that the injury was sustained while he was loading a machine gun. His father said it wasn't clear whether or not he was loading ammunition into the machine gun or was loading the machine gun onto a vehicle.

In January, 1966, Pfc. Avery was assigned to line duty and at the time of his death was serving with "C" (Charley) Company, 1st Battalion of the 3rd Marines. He was a rifleman.

Although complete details of the action in which he died and the exact locale of the incident have not been revealed, a paragraph in the Tuesday, Jan. 14, edition of the Des Moines Daily Register, in a general article on the Viet Nam action, apparently refers to the incident.

It states: "A U. S. Marine amphibious vehicle moving up a highway seven miles northwest of Da Nang hit a mine, inflicting moderate casualties on those on board, a U. S. spokesman said. The vehicle was leading a column carrying elements of two Marine companies."

In a letter to his parents, dated Feb. 9, 1966, Pfc. Avery described an incident that had occurred a few days earlier, to which he had a close call.

During this particular engagement, his unit was in the field for six days and seven nights, Pfc. Avery Said. "The fourth night we were all just starting to sit in on top of a hill "765" and were all starting to eat our rations and just like that an automatic opened up on us and the guy right next to me, about two or three feet away . . . just like that . . . he fell over dead. I was looking at him lying there beside me, but I lucked out and hit the deck and they (the VC) didn't get me. So I guess the Lord was beside me. At least I know somebody was there."

"I sure can't wait 'till I go home and get out of this outfit . I have five and a half months left and then it's my time to come home."

Pfc. Avery's body will be returned to Sumner for burial. Mr. and Mrs. Avery said Wednesday they were expecting a call on that day with information on when their son's body will arrive here.

Allen James Avery was born Nov. 23, 1946 at Sumner. He attended the Sumner schools and was active in sports, particularly in baseball. He enlisted in the Marine Corps while still in school.

Mourning his death are his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Avery; a brother, Terry, 8; and his paternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Earl Avery of Sumner.

He was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Otto Zummack.

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