Date of birth: 23 July 1945 Date of casualty: 27 November 1968 Home of record: Clackamas, Oregon Branch and Rank: Army, First Lieutenant, Rotary Wing Aviator Unit: 1st Aviation Brigade, 269th Aviation Battalion, 12th Aviation Group, 187th Aviation Company Awards: National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Purple Heart Location of name on the Vietnam Wall: 38W, 78
Location of service: 3 km SE of Tay Ninh City, South Vietnam, Tay Ninh province Died through hostile action - air crash on land. A couple descriptions of the crash can be found here: https://www.vhpa.org/KIA/incident/681127211ACD.HTM
Burial location: Skyline Memorial Gardens, Portland, Oregon
Memorials: Vietnam Veterans Memorial (Washington, DC), Oregon Vietnam Veterans Memorial (Portland), Veterans Memorial Coliseum (Portland)
The Oregonian, Thursday, December 5, 1968 Lieutenant Dies In War WASHINGTON (AP) – The Defense Department reported Wednesday that Army 1st Lt. August K. Ritzau of Clackamas, Ore., was killed in action in Vietnam. The department said Ritzau had been earlier listed as missing. He was the son of Sylvia K. Ritzau of Clackamas. His was the 391st death of an Oregon serviceman in the Vietnam war since 1961 and the 192nd this year.
The Oregonian, Tuesday, December 10, 1968 RITZAU – 1st Lt. August K., late of Clackamas, Ore.; beloved son of Mrs. Sylvia Ritzau, Clackamas; brother of Hubert Ritzau, Clackamas and Karlene Brobst, Portland. Funeral services Tuesday, 1 pm, SKYLINE MEMORIAL FUNERAL HOME, 292-6611. Interment Skyline Memorial Gardens.
This remembrance was originally posted here: http://www.honorstates.org/index.php?id=294950 I served with Karl at the time of his death. He was an outstanding officer and was on track to being a fine commander. I flew lead in the flight the day he was killed alongside exceptional men. I chronicalled that day in my book "Crusader 23". Tom Tesmar These additional remembrances were originally posted here: http://www.vvmf.org/Wall-of-Faces/43592/AUGUST-K-RITZAU
Friend Auggie Well you never made it to Ft. Bragg, had to go to flight school instead. Every time I drive by Ft Lewis I think of you and your Mustang convertible. I still see Roy. Rest in peace. ******************************************************************** November 27, 1968 - Crusaders Under Fire There are three accounts for what occurred November 27, 1968. (Editor’s note – you can read more of this remembrance at the link shown above.) I was there when Karl died. Karl Ritzau, as we knew his name, was relatively new in the unit but already was shaping up to be a great pilot and commander. I was the Senior Aircraft Commander of the platoon and he was the platoon leader. There is a full account of his contributions in my book "Crusader 23, I'd Rather Be Lucky Than Good" www.blurb.com. I wrote the book, in part, to honor all of those men, like Karl, who never lived long enough to tell their own stories. Karl flew his last mission despite the fact that he had been wounded in his left wrist in an earlier assault. I talked with him just before we departed for the last mission of the day and my last mission in Vietnam.
