Donald Wayne Lattman

Private First Class
D CO, 1ST BN, 503RD INFANTRY, 173 ABN BDE
Army of the United States
12 June 1947 - 03 March 1968
St Paul, Minnesota
Panel 42E Line 053

173 ABN BDE

503RD INF RGT
Combat Medic

Purple Heart, National Defense, Vietnam Service, Vietnam Campaign

Airborne!

The database page for Donald Wayne Lattman

07 Sep 2001

On 8 March 1968, the 1st Platoon, D Company, was point on a sweep operation. 1st squad was lead, and the squad leader, Sergeant Kenny Buys, was at the head of the squad. Kenny saw three bunkers a few feet ahead and to one side and realized that his men were all in the bunkers' line of fire. He immediately made a one-man attack on the bunkers, giving his men the chance to take cover before they could be cut down.

Kenny took no cover and was badly hit. Our medic tried to save Kenny and lost his life doing so. Several members of our 1st platoon have gotten together over the past few years and I just found out that this medic never got recognized for his valor.

His name is Don Lattman ... He went the extra mile for those who were wounded on point, but his courage went unnoticed as far as I know.

Larry Speed
gmldspeed@peoplepc.com

25 Jul 2006

Donnie, I miss you... Is Jerry with you? Please take care of him, his was a tortured soul ... I hope he has peace.

Love you both, your little sister, Joy

Joy Lattman Hart
E-mail address is not available.

A Note from The Virtual Wall

On 03 March 1968 the 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry, lost eight men in a bitter fight in Kontum Province:
  • C Company:
  • D Company:
    • SSG Ronald D. Ducker, Spartanburg, SC
    • SGT Kenneth A. Buys, Anaheim, CA
    • PFC Donald W. Lattman, St Paul, MN (medic, HHC with D/1/503)
    • PFC Donald A. Nahodil, Shamokin, PA
    • PVT Frank L. Brown, Youngstown, OH
Visit John Dennison's
Medics on the Wall
memorial which honors the
Army Medics and Navy Corpsmen who died in Vietnam.




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With all respect
Jim Schueckler, former CW2, US Army
Ken Davis, Commander, United States Navy (Ret)
Memorial first published on 07 Sep 2001
Last updated 08/10/2009