Help us find a fallen soldier’s family — Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 1056 wants to honor local soldiers killed in VIetnam

The Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 1056 needs our help.
They want to honor every Poplar Bluff soldier who died in the Vietnam War.
The group, led by President Larry Kimbrow, has identified the surviving family members of close to a dozen young men.
But there is one soldier whose family has not been found.
Lance Cpl. Ronald D. Cobb, a U.S. Marine from Poplar Bluff, was killed April 29, 1968, by an explosive device in Quang Nam, South Vietnam.
“If you know of him or any of his relatives or friends, please contact me by either of the contacts cited below. He does not deserve to be forgotten,” Kimbrow said in a plea to the public.
The VVA have been able to compile some information about Cobb.
He began his tour of duty Feb. 15, 1968. He was killed barely two months later, at the age of 20, according to information provided by Kimbrow.
“Ronnie enlisted in the United States Marine Corps after high school,” Kimbrow said. “He always wanted to be a Marine because he was told that his biological father was also a Marine, who was killed in combat.”
His mother was Lucille Evelyn Harrell Foster, his father Louie W. Cobb, and his step-father was Cameron Martin Foster, Sr.
“They are all believed to be deceased. We have not been able to identify nor locate brothers or sisters, if any,” he said.
Anyone with information can reach out to Kimbrow at Larry.Kimbrow@gmail.com or 573-776-3496.
“We pick one (of these veterans) now every year and recognize them with their background and information at the Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Day, on the last Friday of March every year,” Kimbrow said. “March 29, 1973, was the day the last combat troops left Vietnam.”
These lost soldiers will also be recognized in September with other Gold Star families from Butler County.
Kimbrow said the group is starting with recognition of those lost from the Poplar Bluff area.
The project started with Wendy Spradling, the widow of a Vietnam veteran and a member of the VVA Auxiliary. She took on this enormous task of identifying and locating the fallen servicemen of the surrounding area so that the citizenry can properly honor them, Kimbrow explained.
“She says that she is doing this to keep the memory of her husband, Danny Spradling, and the other fallen veterans alive in our hearts and memories,” he said.
In the 53 years since Lance Cpl. Ronald D. Cobb died, I know he has been mourned by his family and I hope someone from our area can help connect that family to the VVA.
Donna Farley is the editor of the Daily American Republic and can be reached at dfarley.dar@gmail.com.