The 35th Infantry Regiment Association salutes our fallen brother, 2LT Everett Earl Light, who died in the service of his country on June 4th, 1966 in Pleiku Province, Vietnam. The cause of death was listed as Accidental Homicide. At the time of his death Everett was 26 years of age. He was from Triangle, Virginia. Everett is honored on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial at Panel 08E, Line 7.
The decorations earned by 2LT Everett Earl Light include: the Combat Infantryman Badge, the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, the Vietnam Campaign Medal and the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm Unit Citation.
A Tacoma Army Lieutenant died of wounds received in Viet Nam Sunday a month to the day after he left for the war.
Second Lt. Everett E. Light, 26, died of wounds suffered when he was accidentally shot by another soldier, according to his wife, Mrs. Della Light, of 4914 115th St. SW.
Mrs. Light said Tuesday she had no other information concerning the incident.
Lt. Light, a native of Corpus Christi TX, was a veteran of nearly 10 years in the Army. He had been an enlisted man until he attended officer candidate school last year. He was commissioned last May.
Soldier of Month
While at Fort Lewis, the Lieutenant had distinguished himself by being named divisional soldier of the month in 1961. In 1963 he was cited for having the outstanding squad in his battle group.
Lt. and Mrs. Light met and married while he was stationed at Fort Lewis. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harold Reece, of Puyallup.
Mrs. Light said her husband had been involved in heavy fighting since he arrived in Viet Nam for duty with the 25th Infantry Division.
Wounded by Shrapnel
She said Lt. Light had been wounded by shrapnel two weeks ago, but had returned to duty with his unit.
Mrs. Light said her husband's body will be returned to Tacoma where military services will be handled by his former Fort Lewis unit, the 2nd Battalion of the 12th Infantry Regiment.
The Lieutenant is survived by two children, a daughter, Shannon Angelene, who was a year old two days before her father left for Viet Nam, and a step-daughter, Deborah Jo, 10. (Tacoma News Tribune, Tacoma WA, 7 Jun 1966, front page)
Services for Army Lt. Everett E. Light, 26, who died Saturday in Viet Nam, will be announced by Mountain View Funeral Home. Lt. Light, whose wife, Della lives at 4914 115th St. SW., was killed when he accidentally shot by another soldier. His body was escorted back to Tacoma by his nephew, Pfc. Michael V. Weatherman. Besides those listed previously, survivors include his mother and stepfather, Mr. and Mrs. Norman E. Jerger, of Rome, Italy; his father, Everett E. Light Sr., of Lakewood Ca; three brothers, Donald and Scott Light, both of Mojave Ca, and Daniel Jerger of Rome; a sister Wendy Jo Jerger, also of Rome; and his grandmother, Mrs. J. W. Snedden, of Corpus Christi TX. (Tacoma News Tribune, Tacoma WA, 9 Jun 1966 )
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