N.Y.er killed in Vietnam to get rites
BY HELEN KENNEDY
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
A SUNY New Paltz sports star and Marine who died in Vietnam nearly four decades ago will finally be buried May 10 in Arlington National Cemetery, the military announced yesterday.
Heinz Ahlmeyer Jr. was 23 when he died on May 10, 1967. Now so many people want to come to his funeral that the family is having to close the reception planned for after his burial, his sister said.
"There's people being turned away," said Irene Healea, who grew up with her brother in Pearl River, Rockland County, but now lives in Tennessee.
Ahlmeyer, a soccer star at the State University at New Paltz, is still remembered there. An athletic trophy named for him is awarded annually.
Only one day into his tour, the Marine Corps 2nd Lt. was trapped behind enemy lines in Khe Sanh with three comrades: Marine Sgt. James Tycz of Milwaukee; Marine Lance Cpl. Samuel Sharp Jr. of San Jose, Calif., and Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Malcolm Miller of Tampa.
Four separate efforts were made to rescue them, but each try had to be aborted.
The remains of all four were found and identified this year as part of intensive and extensive work by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command.
All four will be honored, and three will be buried together on the 38th anniversary of their death. Sharp was buried Saturday in San Jose.
© 2005 Daily News, L.P.