Libby VFW launches effort to honor Army vet Rambo

The Libby VFW Harper Erdman Post 1548 has launched an effort to have the Highway 37 bridge that crosses the Kootenai River in Libby named after U.S. Army veteran Arthur John Rambo.

Staff Sgt. Rambo was killed in action at the age of 23 on Thanksgiving day 1969 in the Vietnam War.

Post members asked state Sen. Mike Cuffe for his assistance in presenting his request to the Legislature next year. 

According to a letter by Post Senior Vice Commander/Service Officer Keith W. Kidwell, Sen. Cuffe said if the local community showed enough interest in the project, he would present the request.

In Kidwell’s letter, he asks community members to pen a short letter showing their support. He said the letter is needed by Monday, Sept. 9, and VFW officials are scheduled to meet Sept. 10 with Cuffe. 

Those who want to write may drop the letter off or mail it to Post 1548 at 114 W. 2nd St. in Libby. It can also be emailed to Kidwell at keith@libbyvfd.org.

“The more community members that step up and help, the better we will be represented before the state,” Kidwell wrote in the letter.

For those that have questions, they may call Kidwell at 210-482-0845.

According to his obituary, published in The Western News, Rambo was born Dec. 16, 1944, in Seattle. The family lived in Japan for about two years while his father served with the U.S. Army of Occupation.

Rambo’s family moved to Libby in 1948. 

He graduated in the top 10 of his class from Libby High School in 1963. He then earned a degree in Mathematics from Carroll College plus a Chemical Engineering degree from Notre Dame.

He married Helen Ryan in 1967 and they had two children - the youngest was born after he arrived in Vietnam. 

Rambo went to work for Texaco, Inc., in Craig, Colorado. He entered the service in 1968, completed basic training at Fort Lewis, Washington and advanced training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. He was promoted to Staff Sgt. upon graduation following training in artillery combat leadership. He was sent to Vietnam Aug. 17, 1969.

Rambo’s actions during the attack earned him the Silver Star. According to his obituary, Rambo, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Howard Rambo, died while on a night defensive position with the 11th Armored Calvary Regiment when hostile forces attacked.