Thomas Joseph Koetters

U.S. Army veteran Thomas Koetters died Oct. 8, 2015, of bile duct cancer. Born on Jan. 8, 1943, he served in the U.S. Army during the initial phase of the Vietnam War, starting in 1965. Coming out of ROTC, Tom was an artillery lieutenant engaged in combat operations attached to the 1st Infantry Division as a forward observer. Tom was a recipient of a Bronze Star Medal for his actions during the war. He and his beloved wife, Jill, frequented the American Legion post in Long Beach in his final years. He is also survived by five children and eight grandchildren. He is remembered fondly by friends during his days in Vietnam for always having a guitar on his lap and a song on his lips during down times.
For those interested, a slideshow retrospective of his life can be seen at https://youtu.be/b0I-7uBld9Q with a few of his favorite songs.