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THE SILVER STAR AND PURPLE HEART were presented posthumously to the Leslie Karnes family by Capt. Samuel Lamey, Sfft. Major Marvin Sealander, and M/Sgt. Richard Sullivan, all of the fifth army advisory group in Cape Girardeau. Accepting the medals were Mrs. Karnes, Sue Ann, 6, Michael and Mark, both 12.Petitions StartedJEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Missouri Instead it passed a 2-eent increase in the gasoline taxHiehwav Commission announced todav it has decided to hi» the ifAttflrnAr uotAnd if nn tha iflMiinila that urAnl/f nntHe Would Die Doing This FightingChildren, MemoriestreasuresLeftBy JUDY GAZETTEOn Feb. 16 at approximately 10a.m., Army Sgt. 1/C f**slie I,ernyKarnes was driving an amphibious vehicle through the swamp land of Vietnam, near Can Gao canal, 25 miles south of Rach Gia.He was part of a five man high brass” patrol involved in a forward reconnaissance through saturated Viet Cong territory.The patrol was ambushed and every man was wounded — Karnes and a lieutenant colonel were killedby enemy fire.The Can Gao canal represents little more than a spot on a newspaper map and the lieutenant colonel’s name would not strike any familiar notes in this community.Sergeant Karnes, 33, born and reared in Sikeston, left this town a daily reminder of his tragic death --a Korean widow and three children. They are survivors -- next of kin.His widow’s name is Soon Lim — “Sooni” she likes to be called. The children are Michael Leslie and Mark Lynn, twin boys, 1 2, and Sue Ann, 6.After talking with Soonie, I think that her childhood and that of Karnes are of interest because of the sharp contrast in their early lives.He was born Jan. 21, 1938, inNeelyville, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Karnes. He graduated from schools in Sikeston, enlisted in the national guard when he was 14, and entered the regular army when he was 17. He was sheltered from the immediate and personal horrors of enemy invasion and war.Sooni was born in Kim Chen, Korea in 1935, into certain poverty and surrounded by death. When she was three, her family was moved to Japan, and back to Korea in 1945. She went to school only when the war permitted, and that was not often or for long.Karnes has one brother and two sisters. Sooni has three sisters and two brothers surviving — at least eight of her brothers and sisters died in the wars. Her father had two families, not unusual in her country. Karnes was a protestant, she was reared in the faith ofBuddha.They met in Seoul, Korea, in 1956, where she was working in an installation PX. They were marriedSept. 19, 1957, in Seoul. Theyremained in Korea for another year before being transferred to St. Ixuis. There the twins were bornMarch 14, 1959.In the military scheme of things, the family was soon sent to Germany, where they lived threeyears.Sooni interrupted the stream of facts.That is why my English is not so good,” she smiled, I learned to speak it in Germany....I have a German accent,”From Germany they went to Ft. Polk, La., in 1963, where little Sue Ann was born. They lived there for five years ** by army standards, a long time. While there, Karnes attended schools, was a drill instructor in hand to hand combat, jungle operations and judo. He was a career soldier.His first duty in Vietnam was in 1968. He was a Sgt. first class then, and returned from combat with recognition as an outstanding soldier.He had been awarded the bronze star medal, good conduct medal with three bronze loops, national defense service medal with first oak leaf cluster and the Vietnam service medal.At that time, Sooni and the children moved to Sikeston to be near his family and secure the children until his return. That time he came back.After seven months at Ft. Polk,once again, Karnes volunteered for duty in Vietnam. This time making Sooni fully aware that he might not return.He told me too many times,” she said softly, that he knew he would die doing this fighting. So f knew that he would, someday.”And now the stage has been set for .Sgt. Me Leslie Leroy Karnes’ death by briefly touching on his life.Feb. 16, 1 971, came on Tuesday. Karnes’ return home already had been approved. He had held his plane tickets two weeks. He would be in Sikeston in time to celebrate the twin's birthday. In 18 months he planned to retire from the army and buy resort land, rent boats to fishermen, and do a bit of fishing himself.This time, his body came home, 10 days after his death, accompanied by a close friend, a silver star and the purple heart for gallantry in action. A memorial service was held with military rites. Flowers came from all over the country. The children received scholarships for college. Sooni was informed of the financial and legal assistance available for army widows, and reminded of her continuing commissary privileges. She was urged to keep her identification up to date.What was your reaction,” I asked, after the shock of his death?”She didn’t understand myquestion, for she found it difficult to separate one emotion from another.Just crying,” she answered, holding out her hands, then I know soon that I have to take care of everything.... the children.”Sooni’s misunderstanding of routine questions prevented her from answering quickly, but she finally related her ideas and decisions about the family’s future.You know,” she said, vou’vegrown up here (United States) and have had a good life, but you don’t appreciate your own country. My husband gave his life for a freedom,...he died for something hethought was right. I’m proud of him. I want to stay here and be the good mother to my children.”Last weekend Sooni took the children on a camping trip. She learned to love water sports from her husband and, as she says, cant give up fishing.” The boys are better than average baseball players and she never misses a game. She describes them as average students, but good athletes.In March, she and the boys were baptized. They are members of Munray lame Baptist church. 'I couldnt have made it without the people there,” she continued, I have to trust in the Lord, That’s important.”She plans to buy another home in Sikeston, but wants to make the decisions slowly, accurately.Questions — the routine ones -* were not so easily asked, for the drama and emotion of a dead husband and father doesn’t vanish in five months. It touched me with a quiet hand every time she answered.“What do you want to remember most about him,” I asked.When I was sick,” she replied, and if I got mad, he always took the children somewhere.Sooni is aware that there will forever be someone in her situation, that someone must do the fighting. She does not question herhusband’s death. The years ahead will not be easy, but she is a determined young woman — busy with the task of bouncing back.We had 15 years together,” she concluded, and he left me three pretty children and memories. I will see him again, I know that. Fifteen beautiful years.....and they were all mine. They were very good.”
Newspaper Details
Sikeston Daily Standard
Sikeston, Missouri, US
Fri, Jul 09, 1971
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 30 Jun 2020
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