BREINER, STEPHEN EUGENE

Name:  Stephen Eugene Breiner
Rank/Branch:  E2/USMC
Unit: 1st Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division
Date of Birth: 5 July 1947
Home City of Record: Decatur, IN (born Fort Wayne, IN)
Date of Loss: 24 September 1968
Country of Loss:  South Vietnam
Loss Coordinates:
Status (in 1973): Died of Accidental Injury/Body not Recovered
Category:  5
Acft/Vehicle/Ground: Ground
Refno: 1287
Other Personnel in Incident: none

Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project and the P.O.W. NETWORK 2 April
1992 from one or more of the following: raw data from U.S. Government
agency sources, correspondence with POW/MIA families, published sources,
interviews.  2020

REMARKS:

SYNOPSIS: While attempting to cross the Bon River in the vicinity of
Quang Nam Province, Republic of Vietnam, Private First Class Stephen
Breiner was caught in the current and drowned.

In recent years, the numbers of remains returned from Vietnam and
excavated in Laos has increased dramatically. Government strategists
happily point to this as "progress" on the POW/MIA issue, although most of
these remains are still unidentified. Indeed, many families, having had
independent studies of the remains to assure accurate identification, now
have answers to long-awaited concerns about their loved ones. However,
when remains are positively identified, the U.S. Government closes the
books and the search for that missing man ends. Can we afford to close the
books on an American who may be alive waiting for his country to bring him
home?

How many will serve in the next war knowing they may be abandoned?

---------------------------------------------------------

From: "Girod, Sue" <sgirod@purdue.edu>
To: "'info@pownetwork.org'" <info@pownetwork.org>
Date: Thu, 6 Oct 2011 16:25:39 -0400
 

RE:  MIA PFC Stephen Eugene Breiner, 9/24/1968

I have been reading many, many letters found on Loveletters. 

I am the only surviving sibling of PFC Stephen Eugene Breiner who died a Marine in
Vietnam on 24Sept1968 in Quang Name Province while crossing the Bon River. 

If you know of anyone who has a bracelet with Stephen’s name on it.  Would you please
let me know.  I never knew about these bracelets until today. 

I have a bracelet with all the Indiana MIA’s from Vietnam, but never knew about the ones
that were distributed during the 70’s. 

Please share my email address with anyone who knows anything about my older brother. 

Thank you. 

 

Susan L. (Breiner) Girod

sgirod@purdue.edu

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
01/2020

https://dpaa.secure.force.com/dpaaProfile?id=a0Jt0000000KZyqEAG

PFC STEPHEN E BREINER

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Private First Class Stephen E. Breiner, who joined the U.S. Marine Corps from Indiana, served with 1st Engineer Support Company, 1st Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division. On September 24, 1968, he drowned while his unit was crossing the Son Thu Bon River in the vicinity of (GC) AT 811 198, near Liberty Bridge in Quang Nam Province, South Vietnam. His remains were swept away by the heavy current and could not be recovered. Further attempts to locate them were unsuccessful. Today, Private First Class Breiner is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. 

Based on all information available, DPAA assessed the individual's case to be in the analytical category of Non-recoverable.

If you are a family member of this serviceman, DPAA can provide you with additional information and analysis of your case. Please contact your casualty office representative.

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