Edward Marvin Sternin was born on September 4, 1947. His home of record is Hillside, NJ. Edward graduated from Hillside High School in 1965. He attended Fairleigh Dickinson University at night and worked for Revere Copper and Brass, Inc. before being drafted in 1966.

Edward entered the US Army where he attained the rank of Specialist 4 (SP4). He served with the 1st Battalion, 50th Infantry, 4th Infantry Division, 1st Cavalry in Binh Dinh Province, Republic of Vietnam.

Edward began his tour in Vietnam on September 1, 1967 as an armored vehicle driver.

On March 9, 1968, SP4 Sternin was killed in his Armored Personnel Carrier in South Vietnam, Binh Dinh Province. He was 20 years old.

Edward had been wounded three times previous to his death. The first time, Edward was wounded by shrapnel from a landmine in November 1967. He was out of action for two months. The other two injuries occurred within two weeks of each other. In South Vietnam, when a soldier was wounded three times, he was usually given rear action duty. In one of his last letters home, Edward had written, “Due to the carelessness on one of the medic’s part, he failed to put me in for a third Purple Heart.”

Sternin was awarded three Purple Hearts, the Bronze Star, the Vietnam Service Medal, the Vietnam Campaign Medal, the National Defense Medal, the Combat Infantryman Badge.

Sources: Dolores Sternin (mother), various websites and NJVVMF.
12/17/2024