The 35th Infantry Regiment Association salutes our fallen brother, CPT Walter John Bernreuther, who died in the service of his country on April 5th, 1968 in Kontum Province, Vietnam. The cause of death was listed as Multi-Frag. At the time of his death Walter was 25 years of age. He was from Macedon, New York. Walter is honored on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial at Panel 48E, Line 14.
The decorations earned by CPT Walter John Bernreuther include: the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Parachute Badge, the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, the Vietnam Campaign Medal and the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm Unit Citation.
(The following news story was taken from the "Rochester, NY Democrat and Chronicle"; April 23 1968 edition.)
Captain Walter John Bernreuther, 25, a former Maceon resident was killed in a firefight April 5 in Vietnam near the Laotian border. His mother is a Wayne County solider worker.
Captain Bernreuther was the son of Alvin F Bernreuther of Pennfield, a plastics engineer in Rochester, and Mrs. Jane Bernreuther of Lock Berlin. Mr. Bernreuther said he was notified April 8 that his son was missing and, on Friday, that he had been found dead.
Captain Bernreuther had completed his military obligation last summer but extended it and volunteered for duty in Vietnam. "John did not want to go to Vietnam", his father said yesterday, "but he felt that he should. He felt that he had an obligation to himself and his country." Captain Bernreuther was assigned as Commander of Co. C 1st Battalion, 35th Infantry, 4th Division, less than a month ago. "In his last letter he said that he was taking the Company to Kontum, about 15 miles from the Laotian border," his father said, "He had stopped at a Ranger camp and was going to set up his own camp."
Capt. Bernreuther was born in Olean. He came to Macedon with his family in 1953. After being graduated from Palmyra-Macedon Central High School in 1960 he went to Alderson-Broaddus College in Phillipi, West Virginia., where he was graduated in 1965. In the army he was assigned to Officer's Candidate School. He was commissioned a second Lieutenant and volunteered for airborne training. He later underwent Ranger combat training at Ft. Benning, Ga. Capt. Bernreuther served in Korea, where he was assigned to patrol duty in the demilitarized zone. Survivors include two brothers, Scott D. of Rochester, and Mark F. of Macedon, and his paternal grandmother, Mrs. Walter John Bernreuther of Olean. Funeral arrangements are waiting the return of the body. Services will be in the Macedon Baptist Church, with burial in Allegany Cemetery, Allegany, NY.
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