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John Woodward Sognier, Jr
Second Lieutenant
A CO, 3RD BN, 7TH INFANTRY, 199TH INFANTRY BDE, USARV Army of the United States Savannah, Georgia September 18, 1945 to December 06, 1967 JOHN W SOGNIER Jr is on the Wall at Panel 31E, Line 54 |
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Seventy That DayI led the honor guard burial detail for this lost hero, 2LT John W. Sognier, Jr. in mid-December, 1967 in Savannah. At the time I was a young 2LT about the same age as he was, stationed at Fort Stewart, Georgia, about six months out of OCS and about six months away from starting my tour. The detail consisted of six pallbearers, a seven man rifle squad and a bugler to play Taps, all of which were young troops from my platoon. We did not know Lt. Sognier personally or the circumstances of his being lost. I have researched and discovered through this site and through www.thewall-usa.com that 16 men from the 199th Light Infantry Brigade lost their lives on December 6, 1967, the same day as Lt. Sognier. I believe this was his unit. It must have been a major battle. An additional 54 men were lost that day in other units throughout Vietnam for a total of seventy. Shortly after the funeral, the commanding general of Fort Stewart received an especially gracious letter from Lt. Sognierï¿ 1/2 s father, John Sr., thanking us for our contribution to the services for his son. It was dated December 22, 1967, a few days before Christmas. I remember thinking at the time that it was most considerate of him to recognize others when he was in such grief. I imagine John Jr. to have been the same type of gentleman had he lived. I still have a copy of the letter, which is how I remember his name. The burial detail was an assignment which we drew from time to time as the fallen were brought home for the last time. I remember the casualties from other details from other days but not their names anymore. There was a young medic who was a conscientious objector, I believe a member of the Seventh Day Adventist church, who served to save lives not take them. He must have been an exceptional young man as he was president of his high school class and many, many people attended the funeral. His potential will never be fulfilled, as he is now forever young. He left a valiant wife who personally thanked each of us and shook our hands after the service at the cemetery. She was carrying the flag which the pallbearers had triangularly folded only a few minutes earlier. It was so strange through my tears to see all of my brave troopers in tears also. There was a young black soldier from a much different background who we honored at a Baptist church. The common element had been the uniform and now it was the grief. It was in Jacksonville I believe. The services at the cemeteries were always the same. Everything was slow, muted and respectful. After the final words, the rifle squad would fire three volleys for the 21 gun salute. The loudness and surprise of the gunfire immediately followed by the playing of Taps would be the catalyst that caused the mourners to no longer hold back their tears and wails.
"If you are able,
From the leader of his burial detail, |
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