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The Army reported Monday afternoon that a Grand Island man, Pfc Jan B. Gillham, has been killed in action in Vietnam. The Army said, in early evening of 2 February 1968, the fire base of Troop A in Kontum City received mortar and rocket fire from north of the city. Jan volunteered to move from his bunker to inspect the telephone lines from the bunker to the Troop Command Post and obtain some water for his buddies in the bunker. It was at this time that the rocket and mortar attack was initiated by the enemy and Jan was mortally wounded. A Memorial Service was held for him at the fire base. Jan will be missed by all of his buddies in Troop A. He was known to be a brave and gallant soldier who unhesitatingly did his duty. Pfc Gillham was born April 14, 1947 in Grand Island. He was inducted into the U.S. Army In July of 1966 and went to Vietnam for duty in September of 1967. He was a graduate of Grand Island Senior High School, graduating in 1965. He worked for the Union Pacific Railroad for a short time before joining Big Chief of Nebraska, where he was employed before entering the Army. He married Dawn Lee on Oct. 8, 1966, in Grand Island. He was a member of Trinity Methodist Church. Survivors include his widow Dawn; one son Jeff; his parents; two brothers, Richard and Craig, both of Grand Island; one sister, Mrs. Joy Reeves of Central City; and his grandmother, Mrs. Arthur Gillham of Grand Island. Funeral arrangements were pending Tuesday morning at Livingston-Sondermann Funeral Home. |
