Lock Haven, Renovo Lives Lost in Korea, Vietnam Remembered

By Christopher Miller

Pfc. Raymond P. Reed

It was during time of war, the Korean War, that a young Hyner youth died of an accidental gunshot wound to the chest. “Hyner Marine, 19, Dies of Accidental Wounds” is what the newspaper article title read in the mid-1950s.
This Hyner youth, Raymond P. Reed, had died during a time of war, but not as an injury in battle. We still remember the fallen, no matter what.

He suffered from his wounds while aboard the USS Randolph, an aircraft carrier in Turkish waters.
“Pfc Reed, 19 years old last spring, had enlisted in the Marines on August 31, 1955 after graduating from the Renovo High School that year and was in the Marine Reserve at Williamsport a year prior to his regular enlistment.” He was locally known as a talented youth, a basketball player and one of the members of the instrumental ensemble while in high school.

“His mother says he wrote home three days before his death, a letter dated October 16, sending his parents $100 for their Christmas gift,” was printed in the Renovo Daily Record. “Pfc Reed was the only son in his family, his parents maintaining as wards two children of the Children’s Aid Society, and are completing the adoption of a six-month-old boy whose name is to be Gary Raymond Reed.”
We remember Pfc. Raymond P. Reed.

Specialist 4, William F. Smith, Jr.

“Airman Smith, who was “Bill” to those who knew him while attending Lincoln elementary school, or the Lock Haven High School from which he graduated in 1965, remember him as a cheerful, pleasant boy, who always smiled,” the newspaper reported in 1968. “His initiative, zeal, sound judgement, and devotion to duty have been in the highest tradition of the United States Army and reflect great credit on him and on the military service.”

“He was interested in the ministry, according to his pastor,” the newspaper reported. “He had considered making it his life’s work, informed that he could be deferred from war service if he entered a ministerial school, Bill refused, saying he would not feel right in being deferred.”

Bill was only 20 years when he died, the fourth Clinton County man to be killed in action in Vietnam. Smith had been awarded, posthumously, a Bronze Star medal, Bronze Star medal with oak leaf cluster, the Air Medal, and a medal of the Republic of South Korea.

“The presentation of these operations for heroism and military service beyond the call of duty was made to the parents of the Lock Haven airman on behalf of the President of the U.S. and the president of South Korea.”

The citation for one of the Bronze Star Medals reads as follows: “For distinguishing himself by outstanding meritorious service in connection with ground operations against a hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam during the period March 15, 1967 to October 1, 1967.”
We remember Specialist 4, William F. Smith, Jr.

Pfc. Mark E. Policastro

“Pfc. Mark E. Policastro, 19, was killed Monday in action with the United States Army forces in Vietnam near the Cambodian border,” the Renovo Daily Record reported in 1968. Mark had recently been a student at St. Joseph’s High School in Renovo, who enlisted in the Army on March 24, 1967 and had been with Headquarters Company, 234th Armored Division.

“He was wounded last December 25, but had returned to action, and had last written home in a letter his mother received on February 23.” Policastro had been overseas for several months after training at Fort Benning, Georgia, and Fort Knox, Kentucky.

Pfc. Policastro was returned to the hands of the heavenly Father on February 26, 1968 when he was killed in the Cu Chi area in the Vietnam conflict. “His body was returned with military escort to Renovo early this morning for services in St. Joseph’s Catholic Church on Monday morning, and burial in the church cemetery at Hyner.”

“Military services were conducted at the graveside by Renovo Post American Legion 442, assisted by an Army Detachment of ten men from the New Cumberland Army Base,” the Renovo Daily Record described.
We remember Pfc. Mark E. Policastro.

These individuals were barely men, mostly boys, fresh out of school with big dreams and plans ahead of them. Their lives were cut short in defense of our great country.

Because of these brave men and women, and the thousands of others who had fallen asleep before them, we are able to live, work, and play in this great nation of ours today. We owe them a great debt of gratitude for paying the ultimate price so others may live free.

Please remember and honor the fallen.