SSGT ALVIN LEONARD
HALVERSON
127th Military Police Company
16th Military Police Group
Age 40 - From
Janesville, Wisconsin
Died on February 10, 1970 - South Viet Nam
Rock County,
Wisconsin Biographies
ALVIN LEONARD HALVERSON
(http://freepages.history.rootsweb.com/~wirockbios/Bios/bios0184.html)
ALVIN LEONARD
HALVERSON
(Janesville,
Wisconsin)
February
10, 1970
Born in
1929, Alvin Halverson was a career Army soldier. A Military Policeman,
he had 20 years of service behind his belt...and had seen his share of
combat, senseless acts by fellow soldiers, and maintained the highest
level of "Protect and Serve."
A true
soldier, Alvin arrived in Vietnam in late March 1969, just before his
40th birthday. He was assigned to the 18th MP Brigade (93rd MP
Battalion) and attached to the 127th MP Company. His duty would be
unlike anything else that he had done before.
Situated in
the Binh Dinh Province of South Vietnam, SSgt Halverson was located at
the Tuy Phouc river, a major waterway emptying in the harbor of Qui
Nhon city. It was the MP's primary responsibility to ensure the defense
of the city from enemy infiltration. The Tuy Phouc river had hundreds
of channels feeding into it that needed to be checked out daily, and
the MP's were sarcastically know as the "Waterborne
Assault-Reconnaissance Team"--or WART's for short.
Patrols
were done in 16-foot rivercraft, with groups of Patrol Boats, River
(PBR's). Shaped similar
to Boston
whalers, they would wind in and out of the channels to guard the
waterways and interdict Viet Cong sappers that were constantly sneaking
into the area.
In
Rick Young's book Combat Police: U.S. Army Military Police in Vietnam,
he tells of an incident in
September 1969 where SSgt Halverson had rushed down the river to rescue
another boat that was being ambushed. Another life saved, and it was
just another day in 'Nam for Alvin.
According
to men that served with him, SSgt Halverson was one tough soldier.
Highly respected by his troops,
he kept defying incompetence from Officers he served under. There are
numerous stories where he would challenge tactics, and sometimes
orders, by these leaders - having the experience and commitment to
keeping his soldiers alive. He would be demoted, the Officer would
rotate out, be promoted and then demoted again. Lives were always more
important to him than rank. Many 20 year olds back then are alive today
due to his actions and efforts.
But fate
sometimes has an eerie way of taking control. After a long day on the
PBR's, Alvin came back to Qui Nhon
and had another of his many confrontations. With less than 2 months to
serve on his tour, Alvin died of a heart-attack in his sleep at age 40.
It had a profound effect on all that were there, and everyone attended
the Memorial Service.
Alvin
Halverson's name is on the Vietnam Wall at Panel 14W, line 121.
Editors
note: A total of 274 men died of heart-attacks in Vietnam - ranging in
ages from 18 to 62. The latter, with the USN, was the oldest man to die
for his country over there.
Courtesy of Bruce Swander
INFORMATION
FOUND AT VIETNAM VETERANS
MEMORIAL FUND WEBSITE
(www.vvmf.org)
ALVIN
LEONARD HALVERSON
is honored on Panel 14W, Row 121 of
the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
Full Name: ALVIN LEONARD HALVERSON
Wall Name: ALVIN L HALVERSON
Date of Birth: 5/20/1929
Date of Casualty: 2/10/1970
Home of Record: JANESVILLE
State: WI
Branch of Service: ARMY
Rank: SSGT
Casualty Country: SOUTH VIETNAM
Casualty Province: PR & MR UNKNOWN
CASUALTY
RECORD
FOR ALVIN LEONARD HALVERSON
FROM WWW.NO-QUARTER.ORG
(http://www.no-quarter.org/gui/detail.php?ID=20896)
GENERAL/PERSONAL
Home: Janesville, Wisconsin
Birth Date: 1929-05-20
Sex: Male
Race: Caucasian
Married/Single: Single
Religion: Lutheran & Missouri Synod
Citizen: Yes
MILITARY
Service: Army
Rank: SSG
Serial Number: 319202771
Component: Regular
Grade: E6
MOS: 95B40
Length of Service: 20
Start of Tour: 1969-03-31
CASUALTY
Casualty Date: 1970-02-10
Casualty Type: Non-Hostile, Died Illness/injury
Reason: Heart Attack
Air or Ground: Ground Casualty
Country: South Vietnam
Province: Province And Military Region Unknown
Posthumous Promotion: No change
Body Recovered: Body recovered
Location on The Wall: Panel 14W - Row 121
RefNo: 4789
Processed Date: 7002
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