Memorial Tile Biography
Darrell P. Kilzer, ARMY
Darrell Paul Kilzer was born in 1941 and raised on a farm near Walthill, Nebraska. He was
athletically gifted and played football as a high school senior in the 1959 Nebraska Shrine Bowl.
Darrell attended Wayne State Teachers College in 1961,transferred to the University of Nebraska,
and graduated with a B.S. in civil engineering in 1964. He accepted employment with the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) in Omaha inspecting agricultural levees.
In 1965, Darrell was drafted by the United States Army. That October he entered Basic Training
at Fort Leonard Wood (FLW) in Missouri. At graduation, Darrell was selected as the outstanding
trainee leader of his company and received the American Spirit Honor Medal. He completed
Advanced Individual Training for combat engineers at Fort Leonard Wood.
The next 23 weeks, Darrell spent at Engineer Officer Candidate School in Fort Belvoir, Virginia.
Darrell impressed his commanders, became a Distinguished Graduate, the Honor Graduate, and
received the Leadership Award in his class of 44 men. He was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant
in August 1966 and assigned as an instructor in the Construction Division of the Department of
Engineering and Military Science at Fort Belvoir.
In March 1967, Lt. Kilzer's tour of Vietnam began. He served one year as platoon leader in the
815th Engineering Construction Battalion on Engineer Hill near Pleiku. Responsibilities were
split between equipment maintenance, building construction, and oversight of rock-crushing
operations at quarries. Darrell was promoted in August to 1st Lieutenant. He returned to the
States in March 1968 and taught at Fort Belvoir for the remainder of his active-duty service. He
was honorably discharged from the Army in August 1968.
Darrell returned to USACE for one year before leaving to pursue a graduate degree. In January
1971, he received a M.S. in hydraulics with a minor in sanitary engineering from the University
of Nebraska. In February he rejoined USACE where he remained the rest of his career. Much of
that time was spent in Rock Island, Illinois, as a quality control inspector for facilities operated by
the U.S. Army.
In June 1971, Darrell married a schoolteacher, Judy, in Ames, Iowa. Together they raised two
sons, David and Robert. Like their father, both sons studied engineering in college.
In October 1988, Darrell was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. He was treated with
chemotherapy and radiation, which led to remission for three years. Darrell died on January 13,
1992, at age 50, of congestive heart failure. The VA later confirmed that this type of lymphoma
was caused by exposure to Agent Orange. Darrell was buried with full military honors in the
Rock Island National Cemetery.
Darrell held strong convictions, was disciplined with high standards, and valued effort itself. He
took pride in his work, led by example, and was a respected communicator. Darrell loved to
learn and offered great advice. To many, his reassurance and humor made life's challenges less
daunting. If you were in a tough spot, Darrell was the person you wanted beside you. Go Big
Red!
athletically gifted and played football as a high school senior in the 1959 Nebraska Shrine Bowl.
Darrell attended Wayne State Teachers College in 1961,transferred to the University of Nebraska,
and graduated with a B.S. in civil engineering in 1964. He accepted employment with the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) in Omaha inspecting agricultural levees.
In 1965, Darrell was drafted by the United States Army. That October he entered Basic Training
at Fort Leonard Wood (FLW) in Missouri. At graduation, Darrell was selected as the outstanding
trainee leader of his company and received the American Spirit Honor Medal. He completed
Advanced Individual Training for combat engineers at Fort Leonard Wood.
The next 23 weeks, Darrell spent at Engineer Officer Candidate School in Fort Belvoir, Virginia.
Darrell impressed his commanders, became a Distinguished Graduate, the Honor Graduate, and
received the Leadership Award in his class of 44 men. He was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant
in August 1966 and assigned as an instructor in the Construction Division of the Department of
Engineering and Military Science at Fort Belvoir.
In March 1967, Lt. Kilzer's tour of Vietnam began. He served one year as platoon leader in the
815th Engineering Construction Battalion on Engineer Hill near Pleiku. Responsibilities were
split between equipment maintenance, building construction, and oversight of rock-crushing
operations at quarries. Darrell was promoted in August to 1st Lieutenant. He returned to the
States in March 1968 and taught at Fort Belvoir for the remainder of his active-duty service. He
was honorably discharged from the Army in August 1968.
Darrell returned to USACE for one year before leaving to pursue a graduate degree. In January
1971, he received a M.S. in hydraulics with a minor in sanitary engineering from the University
of Nebraska. In February he rejoined USACE where he remained the rest of his career. Much of
that time was spent in Rock Island, Illinois, as a quality control inspector for facilities operated by
the U.S. Army.
In June 1971, Darrell married a schoolteacher, Judy, in Ames, Iowa. Together they raised two
sons, David and Robert. Like their father, both sons studied engineering in college.
In October 1988, Darrell was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. He was treated with
chemotherapy and radiation, which led to remission for three years. Darrell died on January 13,
1992, at age 50, of congestive heart failure. The VA later confirmed that this type of lymphoma
was caused by exposure to Agent Orange. Darrell was buried with full military honors in the
Rock Island National Cemetery.
Darrell held strong convictions, was disciplined with high standards, and valued effort itself. He
took pride in his work, led by example, and was a respected communicator. Darrell loved to
learn and offered great advice. To many, his reassurance and humor made life's challenges less
daunting. If you were in a tough spot, Darrell was the person you wanted beside you. Go Big
Red!