HARDIN, William R. - Capt. - KIA Vietnam - Fountain County INGenWeb Project

COVINGTON — Capt. William R. Hardin, husband of a Covington Woman, was killed by small arms fire in Viet Nam on Jan. 29, while he was piloting a C-47 transport plane. Both Capt. Hardin and his widow, the former Joan Sherwood Price, were graduates of Purdue University. They have four daughters living with their mother in Columbus, Ga. Capt. Hardin was the son of Mr. and Mrs. William R. Hardin of New Shrewsbury, N.J. He had spent three years in Germany and one year in Korea during his service career. A member of the new Airmobile Unit of the First Cavalry, he was assigned to the task of transporting troops and returning wounded from the battle zones. He had been in Viet Nam since last August.  --typed by Walt W

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Captain William Richard (Dick) Hardin, pilot of a C-47 aircraft, and husband of the former Joan Price, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harold of 825 Third St., Covington, lost his life in Viet Nam Saturday afternoon, Jan. 29, according to a telegram from the Department of the Army received by her parents here Sunday afternoon. The telegram said in part, "he died in Viet Nam on Saturday while he was the pilot of a C-47 aircraft which was shot down by small arms ground fire." Other details concerning the incident and arrangements for the return of his body are unknown at this time. Capt. Hardin, the son of Mr. and Mrs. William R. Hardin Sr. of New Shrewsbury, N. J., was assigned to the 113 Company, 228 Battalion, First Cavalry, and he had been in Viet Nam since August, 1965. He was a helicopter pilot (Chinook) and he previously had spent three years in Germany with the helicopter border patrol. He also had spent a year in Korea. He had been in the service 12 years. Following his tour of duty in Korea, Capt. Hardin was stationed at Ft. Benning, Ga., where he trained with the new Airmobile Unit (First Cavalry) from the beginning of that unit. The unit's assignment included transporting troops, wounded, artillery and supplies in all actions of the First Cavalry. Capt. Hardin had attended Purdue University at West Lafayette where he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant after four years in the ROTC program. He was in Purdue's School of Engineering. Capt. Hardin's wife and their four daughters, Linda Joan, age 12, Juanita Dorothy, 10, Patricia Ann, 8, and Laura Marie, 6, have been residing in Columbus, Ga., where they went when he was stationed at Ft. Benning. Surviving Capt. Hardin, in addition to his wife and daughters, are: his parents and two sisters, one married and living in California, and the other a teacher in the south.  --typed by Walt W