More detail on this person: Gordon Rae Kern was born January 29, 1938 in Waterloo, Iowa to Gerald and Elinore (Morris) Kern. He passed away September 6, 2016 at the age of 78. Funeral services will be held Friday, September 9, 2016 at 12:00pm in the Whinery-Huddleston Chapel. Gordon enlisted in the Navy and after 2 years on board USS Princeton, he met and married his lifelong love, Christine Koch. After a brief civilian job at John Deere in Waterloo, Iowa he felt the call to serve again and enlisted in the United States Army. He graduated Airborne school in 1962. Later in his military career he wanted to fly. Upon completing and graduating Warrant Officer candidate school in Fort Rucker, Alabama in 1966, he was sent to his first of 2 tours in Vietnam where he was decorated for his selfless acts of bravery with the Silver Star, Bronze Star, the Air Medal for heroism, the Army Commendation Medal, Meritorious Service Medal,Vietnam Service Medal with six Service Stars, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm, Senior Army Aviator badge and Distinguished Flying Cross. During his military career he flew CH54s and UH1s, CH-54 Sky Crane and UH-1 Huey. After retirement in 1979 he operated his own landscaping business and later worked in the oil and gas industry. When he finally decided to retire, he still felt the need to serve and volunteered at the Veteranâ?Ös Home in Lawton. He loved to hunt and fish and was a devoted husband, father and grandfather to his family.
This information was last updated 10/30/2017
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Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024
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