Memorial Day-Lest we Forget

[Dave Anderson NH]

I would like you all to have a safe and enjoyable Memorial day weekend but please do not forget its real purpose. It is our time to honor those Americans who served our country and made the supreme sacrifice. All too often we think of things in the abstract and these people we honor are without names or faces to us. Unfortunately this is not the case for me. The names listed below were all my friends and they paid the highest price possible. Most were under 21 and none were over 28. I will never forget them, for to do so is to dishonor their memory and sacrifice.

LCpl James Marshall Lexington, KY KIA August 10,1968 B 1/7 1st MARDIV
LCpl Luis Cruz New York, NY KIA August 10,1968 B 1/7 1st MARDIV
LCpl David Thomas Conneault,OH KIA August 10,1968 B 1/7 1st MARDIV
Pvt Roberto Torres New York, NY KIA September 2,1968 B 1/7 1st MARDIV
Pfc Donald Redmond Chicago, IL KIA September 10.1968 B 1/7 1st MARDIV
LCpl John Robinson Savannah, GA KIA September 10,1968 B 1/7 1st MARDIV Silver Star
Cpl Ronald Delverde So. Boston, MA KIA September 25,1968 B 1/7 1st MARDIV
Pfc Ernest Perinotto Allentown, PA KIA November 17,1968 B 1/7 1st MARDIV Silver Star
LCpl Fagatoele Lokeni Amer. Samoa KIA December 27,1969 B 1/7 1st MARDIV
Cpl David Graham Ventura, CA KIA February 8,1969 1st Combined Action Group
Cpl Phillip Minton Clinton, TN KIA February 18,1969 B 1/7 1st MARDIV
LCpl Espirdion Perez Corpus Christi,TX KIA April 30,1969 B 1/7 1st MARDIV
Cpl Peter Morka New York, NY KIA July 24, 1969 1st Combined Action Group
Sgt Daniel Majors Memphis, TN KIA August 31,1969 1st Combined Action Group
HM3 Gerald Keesling St. Peters, MO KIA November 22, 1969 1st Combined Action Group
Pfc Wesley Sidener Burns, KS KIA November 22. 1969 1st Combined Action Group
Pfc Peter Gruca Port Reading, NJ KIA November 22,1969 1st Combined Action Group

LCpl Miguel Keith Omaha, NE KIA May 5,1970 1st Combined Action Group MEDAL OF HONOR http://thewall-usa.com/mohrec.asp?recid=71&servid=27452

Photo: Sgt. Daniel William Majors USMC Commander Combined Action Platoon 1-1-6 Tam Ky District, Quang Nam Province My friend and mentor Rest in peace brother

Saepe Expertus, Semper Fidelis, Fratres Aeteri
Often Tested, Always Faithful, Brothers Forever

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Dave,

Thanks for putting a few names and with the photo a face to some of those who paid the ultimate price.

It is their selfless payment and the ultimate payment by the thousands of others that allows us to have the freedoms we take for granted so often.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Dave - thanks for sharing and a big thanks to all who have served!

God bless them all!

[Joe Chritz]

Life has a flair that the protected can never know.

I would be proud to call any of them friend.

Joe

[Pat Germain]

I heard yesterday Afghanastan casualties went over 1,000. Yes, I will continue to remember them.

Last night I was watching a recorded espisode of History Channel's "The Story of US". It was the WWII episode and it once again reminded me of the sacrifices made by an entire generation. Some parts of that show get overly melodramatic; "It would change the world forever" is said way too often. But I like how they tell individual stories among the history. I won't forget those people either.

[Belinda Barfield]

Thanks for posting the list Dave. I plan to visit the Mighty 8th Air Force Museum on Memorial Day. I've added your list of fallen to those I will remember, and thank, when I go to the memorial garden.

[John Shuk]

and thank you 2 Dave

[Rob Cunningham]

Dave,
Thanks for posting the names of your fallen brothers. We all too often take for granted the sacrifices made for our country and our freedom. Thank you

[Gene Howe]

Thank you, Dave.
Remembering every one, every day.

[Kent A Bathurst]

Men of honor, and heros - every one.

God bless each of you.

[Phyllis Meyer]

Thank you for this thread! Memorial Day is about all those who have served, fought for our freedoms, and of course those who have lost their lives! We thank you and will remember! We also thank the men and women currently serving today!

Sincerely,
Phyllis

[Tom Winship]

I came to the Creek to post a similar message today, but thank you for beating me to it. I have spent a couple of hours this afternoon reading names of classmates of mine who paid the ultimate sacrifice also. A friend gave me the following link to look up Vietnam vets who lost their lives. Hopefully, you may find it interesting, certainly sobering.

http://www.virtualwall.org/iStates.htm

I take my hat off to others of you who have served in the preservation of the liberties that we enjoy today. We should never take them for granted. Long may they last.

[Dave Anderson NH]

Thanks for the link Tom. I already knew about the site but it provides a good way for folks to find out who in their own home town gave all they had. You are right about it being sobering. In January 2009 when I was finally able to face going to the wall alone and at dawn I was emotionally overwhelmed and cried unashamedly.

One name I hadn't added above since he died before my tour began was a Marine from the town I grew up in and who I went to school with. We were Boy Scouts together and I found his name in the listings of the CAP Marine Association.

LCpl Dennis Hoppough Penfield, NY KIA July 16,1968 1st Combined Action Group

Another source of information is at http://www.thewall-usa.com

[Tom Winship]

You're welcome Dave. I graduated from Texas A&M in 1964. Most of us took commissions upon graduation. This link enabled me to find out more about one of the classmates who didn't. Many of us thought that he was killed there as a civilian contractor, however, I was able to find that he was a 1st Lt., killed in a helicopter crash.
I was blessed in that I served 4 years in the states.
Thank you for serving.

[Rob Cunningham]

Another site which lists the Medal of Honor recipients and their citations:
http://www.mishalov.com/Citations.html