Vernon Engel

Vernon Engel was born in Wood River, NE in July 1945. Raised in the area, graduating from Grand Island Senior High in 1963. He served in the United States Navy from 1965-1968. The morning of his boot camp graduation, he was 1 of 15 men selected for 6 months of equipment operator training at Port Hueneme, CA then orders to Vietnam. After training, orders changed to Davisville, RI. He became part of the recommissioned Sea Bee Battalion NMCB7, “A” school for steel construction. 

In 1966 he was stationed at Camp Campbell in Vietnam for 7 months. They built steel buildings for food storage, walk-in refers for frozen food, steel fuel tanks, and tied rebar for cause-ways sent to Hue. He was stateside for 6 months after that and then back to Camp Adenir at East Danang, Vietnam. They built a blood bank, operating rooms, and nurses quarters. 

After service he returned to Grand Island. Was married, raised four girls and served for 35 years with the Girls Recreational Softball League while working at Berkley Pump for 38 years. He remains active with St. Paul's Lutheran Church, spending time outdoors with family and making sure he “wears out, not rusts out”.