More detail on this person: Bruce C. Zenk, 65,
passed away at his home in Young America,
Minnesota on 17 May 2005 after a three-year battle
with cancer.
Born in Sisseton, South Dakota on 18 December
1939, he graduated from South Dakota State
University with a degree in Pharmacy and received
a commission as an Infantry Second Lieutenant in
the United States Army. After a one-year
pharmacy internship in Minneapolis, Bruce entered
active duty service and attended the Infantry
Officers Basic Course. He was selected to attend
the Rotary Wing Aviator Course (Class 63-7).
In January 1964, Bruce was assigned to the 119th
Aviation Company in Vietnam where he flew both
the slick and gunship version of the UH-1B.
Because of his prior pharmacy training, he
received a branch transfer to the Medical Service
Corps in June 1964 and was transferred to the 57th
Medical Detachment in Soc Trang. When the 82nd
Medical Detachment arrived in Vietnam in October
1964, Bruce, Ernie Sylvester, and Si Simmons were
transferred from the 57th into the 82nd to teach
the new pilots the tactics and ethos instilled in
them by Major Kelly. Completing his one-year tour
in January 1965, Bruce had earned the Air Medal
with Valor and 22 oak leaf clusters, had flown 747
hours of combat flight time, and helped to save
hundreds of lives.
Upon his return from Vietnam, Bruce was married to
Betty Remund. The couple made their home at
Fort Riley, Kansas where he served as a pilot with
the 159th Medical Detachment until a serious back
injury forced him from the cockpit. In May 1968,
he completed his military service at DeWitt Army
Hospital where he served as a pharmacist.
Bruce and his family moved to Virginia, Minnesota
where he worked at the local medical clinic. In
1975, Bruce and Betty purchased the local
pharmacy in Lake Benton, Minnesota where he
served on the school board and held positions in
both the VFW and American Legion. In 1984, they
sold their store and moved to Burnsville,
Minnesota. He accepted a position with Snyder
Drug where he continued his work as a dedicated
and professional pharmacist until his retirement
in 2002.
Bruce is survived by Betty Zenk, his loving wife
of 40 years; his daughter Debbie and husband SSG
Michael Otte of Honolulu, Hawaii; his son CPT
Patrick and wife Alexa Zenk of Wiesbaden,
Germany; grandchildren Kayla and Noah; sister
Paula Neiburg of Plymouth, Minnesota; and brother
Rodney of Nemo, South Dakota. He was preceded
in death by his parents and older brother Perry.
From: DUSTOFF web site.
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024
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