Karnes, Leslie Leroy
Army Sergeant 1st class

Leslie Leroy Karnes, age 33, from Sikeston, Missouri, Scott county. Sgt. Karnes died in South Vietnam February 16, 1971. He was soon to return home for his twin boys’ birthday when he was killed.

Spouse: Soon Lim Karnes (1936-2021) Soon Lim Karnes, formerly of Sikeston, Missouri, died July 27. She was preceded in death by her husband. She never remarried. “Sooni”, as she was often called, was a beloved mother and grandmother (Memaw), a respected landlord, businesswoman, and Christian. She loved life.

She was proud to be an American. Sooni would say, your Father died serving this country. So she would buy only American-made cars and speak only in English to her children. She earned her Certificate of Naturalization to become a citizen of the United States in September 1959. Sooni was born in 1936 in Kyungpuk, South Korea (Japan occupied Korea). These were desperate and impoverished times for Korea when many were enslaved to Japan. Life was tough and a struggle to just survive. She was the eldest of 12 children, mostly female. Sooni helped her parents by taking on responsibility for her siblings as the oldest child in a male dominant society. She would often steal rice to keep her family from starvation during the Korean war. Out of the 12 siblings, only 4 survive. After the war, Sooni met a young American MP

(Military Police), Leslie “Roy” Karnes. Several months later they were engaged to marry. During this time, Roy lived with Sooni, her Mother and, siblings. It was against US Army rules (or highly frowned upon) to marry an Asian at that time. Because of this, Roy Karnes was demoted several times, but he refused to give up his love for Sooni. They married and left for America. In 1959, while living near St. Louis, Sooni gave birth to twin boys, Mike and Mark. Seven months later they were transferred to Augsburg, Germany. They returned to America in May 1963 and were stationed at Fort Polk, Louisiana. In 1964, Sooni gave birth to a daughter, Sue Ann. Roy was a Drill Sgt, where he was a Judo instructor and taught hand-to-hand combat for soldiers heading to Vietnam. Roy was KIA 19 days before he was due home from his second tour and what would have been Mike and Mark’s 12th birthday.

Military History: Started serving in the Missouri National Guard at age 14, having lied about his age. Company A, 2nd battalion, 7th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division

Silver Star citiation: The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Silver Star Medal (Posthumously) to Leslie Leroy Karnes Sergeant First Class, U.S. Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action on 16 February 1971 while serving as Operations/Intelligence Advisor on Mobile Advisory Team IV-102, Kien An District, Kien Giang Province, Republic of Vietnam. On that date Sergeant Karnes was operating a Boston Whaler in which the Province Senior Advisor, Kien An District Advisor, and the Team 55 First Sergeant were passengers. The party had been inspecting the construction of outposts in the U-Minh Forrest and were returning by canal to the Kien An District Headquarters when they were ambushed by a North Vietnamese reconnaissance unit. So intense was the small arms and B-40 rocket fire that it was impossible to return immediate fire. Though mortally wounded and completely exposed to enemy fire, Sergeant Karnes continued to maneuver the boat and swung it directly into the ambush site, thereby providing his comrades with their only chance for survival. Due to Sergeant Karnes’ singularly heroic actions, his decisive and professional bearing, and complete dedication to his responsibilities in the heat of battle, the Kien An District Senior Advisor and Team First Sergeant were able to stay the Viet Cong until rescued by a hastily formed rescue squad. Sergeant First Class Karnes’ conspicuous gallantry in action was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Army and reflected great credit upon himself and the military service.

Cemetery: Sikeston Memorial Park

Source: National Archives, family, findagrave.com