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!
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!