3 combat tours in Vietnam Bronze Star with"V" (2) Purple Heart Navy Commendation Medal with "V" Combat Action Medal Presidential Unit Commendation with 1 Star Navy Unit Citation Navy Meritorious Unit Citation National Defense Medal Vietnam Service Medal with 7 stars Vietnamese Techical Service Cross Vietnamese Campaign Medal
This is a portrait of Carmen Kypke, taken by Duane Zemper in 1960. The photo is labeled "Held 1947 Pole Vault record, 11'6' for 20 years".
An article in the Lansing State Journal dated May 18, 1951 described Carmen Krypke of Howell as leader in the class of pole vaulters in the Lansing area. The Livingston County Press on May 23, 1951 reported that Carmen Kypke cleared the pole vault bar at 11 feet, 4 3/4 inches to establish a record for the Howell High School and to set a record for Wines Field in Ann Arbor. His winning vault broke the field meet record by two inches.
Carmen Kypke was born in 1933 in Chicago, Illinois. After graduating from Howell High School in 1952, he served in the U.S. Navy from 1952 to 1956. Mr. Kypke died in Montgomery, Alabama in 1987.
