Obit: Morneau, Jerome ‘Jerry’ Dale (1949 - 1969)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Morneau, Lawson, Hudak, Ginnetti, Hartwell, Staub, Malum, Ostrom, Walters, Braggen, Schwab, Stirek, Konop, Dustel, Gilek, Jilek, Gabriel, Kernz, Nikolai, Nelson

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 6/12/1969

Morneau, Jerome ‘Jerry’ Dale (22 August 1949 - 9 June 1969)

The war a half world away in Vietnam reached into the heart of Neillsville Wednesday morning with the notification of the death of Jerome (Jerry) Morneau, 19, the first Neillsville youth to give his life in that conflict.

Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Morneau of 1404 Bruley Street were notified of the death by Sgt. John W. Lawson, who came here from Camp McCoy with the news. No details of the action were available; but Mr. and Mrs. Morneau were told that an officer would arrive later in the day and provide more information to them.

The body is being sent back to Neillsville from Vietnam, and the Morneaus were advised that it would arrive in seven to 10 days.

Morneau entered the army on July 7, 1968, shortly after his graduation from Neillsville High School. He went overseas to Vietnam on December 12, 1968.

In a letter received a few days ago by his parents, and apparently written late in May, Pvt. Morneau told of his outfit being moved to Quinn Ong, and it was believed that this is where the action took place which took Morneau’s life.

The Morneaus have another son, Richard, who is in overseas service. He is presently stationed in Germany. Other members of the family besides the parents include a sister, Margaret; and another brother, Ronald, 15.

Pvt. Morneau was born in Neillsville August 27, 1949.

Funeral arrangements are being held pending additional information.

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 6/19/1969

The first Neillsville Soldier to be killed in the six-year-old Vietnam War will be laid to rest with full military honors this (Thursday) morning in St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery here.

Funeral services for Cpl. Jerome Dale Morneau, son of Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Morneau, are scheduled to be conducted in St. Mary’s Catholic Church at 10 o’clock, with the Rev. George M. Nelson in charge. Participating will be color guard from the regular army at Fort Sheridan, Ill. The body was to lie in state at the Georgas Funeral Home Wednesday, with a rosary to be conducted at 8:30 p.m.

The body was brought home from Vietnam, by air and was met in San Francisco by Cpl. Morneau’s brother, Pfc. Richard Morneau, who was appointed official escort. The latter had been stationed in Germany at the time of his brother’s death, and was flown to San Francisco by the military services. The body arrived here Monday, coming by air to the Eau Claire airport.

There was no word of the action in which Cp. Morneau was killed, but the date was given as June 9.

Cpl. Morneau was born in Neillsville August 22, 1949, and attended St. Mary’s Catholic School and was graduated from Neillsville High School with the class of 1968. He entered the army in August of last year, and went to Vietnam on December 12, 1968.

Surviving in addition to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Morneau, and his brother, Richard, are a sister, Margaret, and a brother, Ronald, both at home. Also surviving is his maternal grandmother, Mrs. Ann Hudak of Neillsville, and paternal grandfather, Alfred Moreau, Sr., of Prairie Farm.

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 6/26/1969

Funeral services for Cpl. Jerome Dale Morneau, 19, who was killed in action in Vietnam June 9, were held last Thursday, June 19, at 10 a.m. from St. Mary’s Catholic Church, with the Rev. George M. Nelson, officiating. Burial was made in St. Mary’s Parish Cemetery.

Full military rites were conducted at the church and cemetery.

Pallbearers were the military from the 202nd M. P. Co. burial squad, Ft. Sheridan, Ill., Lt. R. M. Ginnetti of Camp McCoy and Sgt. W. Hartwell of Ft. Sheridan, Ill., in charge. Pfc. Richard Morneau of the army, a brother stationed in Germany, was the official escort.

Those from out of town attending included: Alfred Morneau, Sr., and Joe Morneau of Prairie Farm; Mr. and Mrs. Frank Morneau and Mr. and Mrs. Edward Staub of St. Paul, Minn.; Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Malum of Chetek; Mr. and Mrs. Edward Morneau of Dallas; Mr. and Mrs. Manford Ostrom, Art Ostrom, Dale Ostrom and Donna Ostrom of New Brighton, Minn.; Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Walters of Granton; Mr. and Mrs. Art Braggen, Mrs. J. Schwab, Mr. and Mrs. Mike Stirek, Ed Konop, Joseph Dustel, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Gilek, Michael Staub, Mr. and Mrs. A. Jilek, Mr. and Mrs. Art Braggen, Mary Staub, Sister Mary Claire, Mr. and Mrs. Mike Stirek, Sr., Mr. and Mrs. Virgil Schwab, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Distal and Mr. and Mrs. Ed Gabriel, all of Rice Lake; Mr. and Mrs. Joe Kernz, Jr., and Mary Jane Nikolai of Marshfield.