Doug and Pam Sterner

Doug enlisted in the Army in 1969 and took basic training and Combat Engineer AIT at Fort Leonard Wood, MO before completing the 6-month Non-Commissioned Officers Candidate Course. He began his 2 tours of Vietnam duty in August, 1970 as a squad leader in Company A, 65^th Engineer Battalion (Combat), 25^th Infantry Division at Dau Tieng. Less than two months later on a mission near the Cambodian border he received the first of two Bronze Star Medals.

By Christmas of that year Sergeant Sterner was reassigned to the 14^th Engineer Battalion at FSB Nancy and FSB Barbara near Hue. The following February he received the Army Commendation Medal for Valor as a squad leader for the engineer unit that led the combat air assault to re-open Khe Sahn in Operation Lam Son 719. He began his second Vietnam tour the following August with the 27^th Engineer Battalion (Combat), attached to the 101^st Infantry Division (Airborne) at Camp Eagle, before returning south to Bien Hoa where he served with the 1^st Air Cavalry Division. He "pulled" his last mission just seven days before his return home on 10 March 1972 as a member of Team 75, Company H (Ranger) 75^th Infantry Division (Airborne), 1^st Brigade, 1^st Air Cavalry Division (Airmobile).

Following release from active duty, Doug spent five years as a member of an airmobile unit of the Montana National Guard. Today he remains active in several veterans' organizations, writes extensively on military and American history, and is considered one of the most knowledgeable historians of America's highest award for valor, the Medal of Honor.

Doug and his wife Pam have four children and make their home in Pueblo, Colorado where their civic and patriotic activities have become a family effort. Recently their twelve year old son testified before the Colorado State Legislature in a successful effort to enact legislation authorizing distinctive vehicle license plates for Medal of Honor recipients. They have received numerous awards including the Boy Scouts of America's "DISTRICT AWARD OF MERIT". In 1995 they were honored by the Congressional Medal of Honor Society with an award for "Patriotism in America", and in 1998 they received the Society's prestigious "Distinguished Citizen Award".

Presently Doug and Pam are developing plans for a 19,000 square foot "Hall Of Heroes" museum to promote patriotism and preserve the history of our nation. When completed it will provide all-day educational field trips for local schools.

Adrian Cronauer
"Good Morning Vietnam"

Email Doug Sterner

The Honorable Scott McInnis
United States Congressman