Joseph B. Klein
Vietnam War
Joe Klein was born in Carroll, IA on April 11, 1946, to Bernard and Luella (Klocke) Klein. Joe grew up on the family farm east of Templeton and attended Sacred Heart School. He graduated from Kuemper High School with the class of 1964.
Joe worked as a farmer until being inducted into the US Army on October 6, 1965. He was assigned serial number 55 792 993. Joe was sent to Fort Leonard Wood, MO for basic training. After completion, he was sent to Fort Stewart near Savannah, Georgia, for advanced individual training (AIT).
In early 1966, Joe was assigned to the 102nd Engineer Company (CS). This Construction Support unit was a part of the 18th Engineer Brigade that had been formed at Fort Bragg, NC. Joe was trained as a tractor-trailer driver to assist in the major construction projects that were conducted in Vietnam. These projects included base camps and line of communication construction. Elements of the 102nd Engineers had arrived in Vietnam late in 1965.
Joe arrived at Cam Ranh Bay on the central coast of South Vietnam on July 26, 1966. At that time, the 102nd Engineers were heavily involved in the construction of the port facilities at Cam Ranh Bay itself. A newspaper account indicated Joe attended midnight Mass at Cam Ranh Bay on Christmas, 1966. The celebrant at that Mass was Cardinal Spellman of New York.
By March 20, 1967, Joe was transferred to Company A of the 864th Engineer Battalion. This was also a unit attached to the 18th Engineer Brigade. Construction continued for the remainder of Joe’s enlistment on a variety of projects including roads, bridges, a data processing facility and civilian work. By summer, 1967, Joe’s enlistment was coming to an end and he was transported back to the United States. He was discharged from the US Army on July 13, 1967 with the rank of SP4 (specialist fourth class).
Joe returned to Templeton and farming. On February 20, 1971, he was married to Linda Steinkamp at St. Bernard Church in Breda, IA. The couple farmed two miles west of Templeton. Joe died at St. Joseph Hospital in Omaha, NE on February 2, 1983 at age 36. He was buried in Sacred Heart Cemetery in Templeton.