OCONTO – In honor of Veteran’s Day, the Oconto County Historical Society held a presentation on Thursday, Nov. 6, that furthered their goal of recognizing significant individuals and events in Oconto County’s military history.
Steve Simms, published author and Vietnam War veteran, travelled to Oconto from his home in Ohio to speak about the Battle of Srok Rung, an engagement that occurred on Thursday, Nov. 7, 1967.
This specific battle may seem like one of many to some, but Simms’s first-hand account of the experience showed the power of studying historical events through the people who experienced them — like John Young.
The son of Hans and Illma Young and brother to Kristine, Sue, Kathleen and Leonard, Young graduated from high school in Oconto.
During the Vietnam War, Young was an assistant machine gunner of Company C — 1st Battalion 26th Infantry, during Operation Shenandoah II in Loch Ninh that lost his life during the Battle of Srok Rung.
Simms explained that this engagement was driven from an ambush that had been planned for days. It occurred in a rubber tree plantation, which additionally endangered the men on the ground when being attacked above sense the trees were planted in rows.
“All hell broke loose,” according to Simms, when the seven-man battalion command group was quickly killed in the ambush, resulting in the additional loss of radio communication.
After Charley White, the machine gunner that Young served as assistant to, was struck by shrapnel that shattered his jaw bone and fractured his eye socket, he was out of commission.
Simms described the scene, “Young kept the gun firing, breaking the enemy position along the edge of the jungle until the barrel burned up.”
Despite the fact that Young was wounded, he risked his life when he crawled to check on a fellow serviceman.
“Before he could return, he was struck… and killed,” Simms said.
Young was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, which is given for “either heroic achievement, heroic service, meritorious achievement or meritorious service in a combat zone.”
Before Steve Simms published his book “Common Valor: Ambush at Srok Rung November 7 1967” the details of this event were not known by many, including Young’s family.
Young’s sister, Sue, was 14-years-old when her brother passed away and just recently discovered the details about his service.
“I didn’t know some things until I read this book. We just found out about this book maybe six months ago, so it was very informative. It gave you closure, which is something we didn’t have,” she said.
Kristine echoed the sentiment of her sister about their brother, “It was wonderful to finally know what happened.”
Listening to this personal connection impacted not only Young’s family, but all in attendance.
“Linking big events to the lives of local people makes history personal. It reminds us that the sacrifices and experiences of people like John Young were part of something much larger, but also deeply connected to our community. Sharing those stories honors their service and helps younger generations see how history shaped families right here in Oconto County,” Oconto County Historical Society Board Member Peter Gabrielson said.
Holding lectures and events like this is one of the many ways that the group honors military service for Veterans Day as well as every other day of the year.
“We do our best to recognize and preserve the stories of local veterans through displays, guest speakers, and community partnerships. Our museum features exhibits honoring service members from many branches and eras, often highlighting local connections — from conflicts before the Civil War through Vietnam and beyond. We also work with families and veterans’ groups to collect artifacts, photos and personal stories that help bring history to life,” Gabrielson added.
“Common Valor” by Simms provides further information about the Vietnam War and the Battle of Srok Rung through first-hand accounts, maps and features a foreword from four-star general Paul Gorman. The book is available for purchase through the Oconto County Historical Society.
The historical society can be reached by calling the Beyer Home and Carriage Museum at (920) 834-6206 or emailing ochs@ocontohistory.org.
For more information about the Oconto County Historical Society, visit https://ocontohistory.org/ or follow them on Facebook.
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