Luther Malcom Chappel
First Sergeant Luther Malcolm Chappel, 34, Worthville, Carroll County, Kentucky, of C Battery, 2nd Battalion, 138th Field Artillery was killed by small arms fire on 19 June 1969 at Firebase TOMAHAWK in Vietnam. The firebase was attacked during the early morning hours of 19 June 1969 in a pouring rain by North Vietnamese Army (NVA) soldiers. Sappers infiltrated the base and during the attack threw some 150 satchel charges into the bunkers in addition to firing rocket propelled grenades. The battle went on some two hours before the NVA were forced to retreat. The attack destroyed an ammunition storage area, four of the six M-109 self-propelled howitzers, nine bunkers, the mess hall, dining tent, maintenance building, four ammunition carriers, three 2 ½ -ton trucks, two 3/4-ton trucks, and three jeeps. The Battery had nine men killed; five of them were from Bardstown and the other four were non-Guard replacements from various, non-Kentucky locations. The unit also suffered 37 wounded. A platoon of infantrymen from the 101st Airborne Division was providing perimeter security for the firebase and four of the 101st soldiers were killed and another 13 wounded.
He was drafted in June of 1956, and served two years on active duty. He immediately joined the Kentucky National Guard in June of 1958.
Chappel is honored on the Vietnam Memorial at Panel 22W Line 086. Chappel is buried in the Bedford Cemetery in Trimble County.
First Sergeant Of Company Lost
The Kentucky Standard, 3 July 1969, p. 1.
Company C's first sergeant, Luther Malcolm Chappel, of Bedford, Ky., was also among the five who lost their lives. He went to Vietnam as a member of Battery A, based at Carrollton, which also was part of the Federal call-up of National Guardsmen in May, 1968, and had been transferred to Company C. He replaced Sgt. Pat Simpson, of Bardstown, who completed his enlistment and came home several months ago.
Sgt. Malcolm Chappel Is First Casualty of Local Guard Unit
Unknown Newspaper clipping dated July 3, 1969 believed to be the Carrollton News Democrat
First Sergeant Luther Malcolm Chappel of Bedford, killed in action in Vietnam on June 19 is the first casualty suffered by members of Carrollton’s National Guard unit, Battery A, 2nd Bn., 138th artillery which went on active duty May 13, 1968.
However, Sgt. Chappel had been transferred to C battery of the 2nd Bn. On February 12 and was promoted to First Sergeant of the outfit on March 13th. He had four other members of the Bardstown based battery were killed in an enemy attack on Fire Base Tomahawk, near Da Nong. It was first reported that he was missing in action and his anxious family were shocked when the fatal message was brought by Army officers.
Sgt. Chappel was one of several of the personnel of Battery A who did not have to serve in Vietnam. His enlistment was up last August, but he elected to reenlist to go with the men of the outfit to Vietnam. He had been a member of the National Guard unit here for 11 years and had almost 15 years of Army service.
During Sgt. Chappel’s absence overseas, his wife, the former Violet Nevill and their two daughters, Charlene, 8 and Debra, 4, have been living with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Roy Nevill at Worthville.
Sgt. Chappel, 34 years of age, was a native of Bedford and before the guard was activated was employed in the state highway laboratory. Besides his wife and daughters he is survived by his mother, Mrs. Amy Chappel, Bedford; a brother Alvah Chappel, Bedford and a sister, Mrs. Willena Wilson, Carrollton.
Sgt. Chappel’s body is expected to arrive here today and will be taken to the Tandy-Eckler-Darnold Funeral Home where visitation will begin after 5 P.M. today (Thursday).
Funeral services will be held Saturday afternoon at 2 o’clock at the Bedford Baptist Church, with burial in the Bedford cemetery with full military honors.
In respect to the memory and the gallant services to his country by First Sergeant Chappel, the Carroll Fiscal Court Tuesday passed a resolution to display the American Flag in the courthouse yard at half-mast until after the funeral services.