This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Amber Lewis-Family
to remember
Marine LCpl Robert John Achas.
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Casualty Info
Home Town Springfield, IL
Last Address Springfield, IL
Casualty Date Mar 14, 1965
Cause KIA-Died of Wounds
Reason Misadventure
Location Quang Nam (Vietnam)
Conflict Vietnam War
Location of Interment Camp Butler National Cemetery (VA) - Springfield, Illinois
FF ON RETURNING PATROL, HILL 271, 4 KM SW OF DANANG 19650314
UTM grid reference is AT964733
LCpl Achas died of wounds received from friendly fire on hill 327. Helo evacuation underway immediately. Achas�?? first wound, missile, penetrating abdomen, 2nd wound, missile penetrating chest. Achas expired approximately two and one half hours after being wounded.
Comments/Citation:
Tour start date 03/08/1965
Ida Achas gave the wall its heart.
Date
Not Specified
Last Updated: May 20, 2012
Comments
Ida Achas gave the wall its heart. She heard a story of a Vietnam War veteran who dropped a Purple Heart medal into the cement while workers were building the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. Her son died in the Marine Corps and four years ago, Achas donated his Purple Heart to tour with the largest traveling replica of the D.C. memorial. Harry Hooper held the medal in front of about 30 on Wednesday in Terre Haute. Workers, mostly veterans, gathered to honor Achas' gift before finishing setup on the replica at Roselawn Memorial Park at 7500 N. Clinton St. It was the 86th time Hooper had seen the wall constructed. Dignity Memorial built it in 1990 and the retired funeral home director has seen it through four summers of national tours. It visits about 20 communities every year. Hooper started leading tours after the 76-year-old's two Tennessee funeral homes were added to Service Corporation International's more than 2,800 North American homes, crematoria and cemeteries. Service Corporation's brand name is Dignity Memorial. Ida Achas' son is Robert John Achas. His Purple Heart rests under the wall each time it's displayed. By coincidence, his name is etched in the middle panel of the wall, the first one to be set up at each tour stop.
