In Memoriam

[Grace]

Vietnam

Soldiers Missing from Vietnam War Identified

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of three servicemen, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and are being returned to their families for burial with full military honors.

Army Capt. Arnold E. Holm Jr. of Waterford, Conn.; Spc. Robin R. Yeakley of South Bend, Ind.; and Pfc. Wayne Bibbs of Chicago, will be buried as a group, in a single casket representing the entire crew, on Nov. 9, in Arlington National Cemetery. On June 11, 1972, Holm was the pilot of an OH-6A Cayuse helicopter flying a reconnaissance mission in Thua Thien-Hue Province, South Vietnam. Also on board were his observer, Yeakley, and his door gunner, Bibbs. The aircraft made a second pass over a ridge, where enemy bunkers had been sighted, exploded and crashed, exploding again upon impact. Crews of other U.S. aircraft, involved in the mission, reported receiving enemy ground fire as they overflew the crash site looking for survivors.

Between 1993 and 2008, joint U.S./Socialist Republic of Vietnam (S.R.V.) teams, led by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), interviewed witnesses, investigated, surveyed and excavated possible crash sites several times. They recovered human remains, OH-6A helicopter wreckage and crew-related equipment—including two identification tags bearing Yeakley’s name.

Scientists from the JPAC used forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence to identify the crew.

Today more than 1,600 American remain un-accounted for from the Vietnam War. More than 900 servicemen have been accounted for from that conflict, and returned to their families for burial with military honors since 1973. The U.S. government continues to work closely with the governments of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia to recover all Americans lost in the Vietnam War.

[Grace]

5 November 2011

25-year-old US Marine Lance Cpl. Nickolas A. Daniels, from Elmwood Park, Illinois, was killed in action on 5th November 2011 while on combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

L-Cpl. Daniels served with the 3rd Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, based at Twentynine Palms, California. His family told local news reporters that he had deployed to Afghanistan less than two months ago.

His sister, Kati, said that L-Cpl Daniels had joined the Marine Corps less than two years ago and was trained in bomb disposal.

"I just didn't believe it because he was only there for a month and a half and he just got an award for digging up a bomb, and then this happened. And I didn't want to believe it when (the Marines) came to our house," she told reporters.

[Grace]

England

28-year-old British Army Private Matthew Thornton, from 4th Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment (4 YORKS), was killed in action on 9th November 2011 while on patrol in Babaji, Lashkar Gah. His unit was ambushed by enemy forces using grenades and small arms fire. During the battle, Pvt Thornton was caught in the blast from a hidden bomb and was killed.

Pvt Thornton was a volunteer with the Territorial Army. He worked in a factory manufacturing door and window frames in Barnsley, Yorkshire. Born in Barnsley, he was educated at Darton High School prior to joining Fontenay Company, East and West Riding Regiment, in October 2004, which subsequently became D Company, 4th Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment in June 2006.

He left the Territorial Army in 2007, but re-enlisted into D Company in September 2009, eager to deploy to Afghanistan when the opportunity arose. He volunteered his services for this deployment.

Lieutenant Colonel Ian Crowley, Commanding Officer, 4th Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment, said: "Private Matthew Thornton displayed that he had the volunteer ethos in spades. He was a fine soldier and an even finer man. 4 YORKS is a family and we have lost one of our own. He was a true Yorkshire Warrior."

Pvt Thornton leaves behind his father Michael, mother Susan, sister Sarah, and his brother Nathan.

[Grace]

9 November 2011

20-year-old US Army Private 1st Class Cody R. Norris, from Houston, Texas, was killed in action in Kandahar province on 9th November 2011 during a contact with enemy forces who had attacked his unit with small arms fire.

Pfc. Norris was serving with the Fort Riley, Kansas based 2nd Battalion, 34th Armor Regiment, 1st Infantry Division.

[Grace]

11 November 2011

US Army Private 1st Class Theodore B. Rushing was killed in action on 11th November 2011 in Kandahar province when an insurgent bomb detonated beside his patrol unit.

25-year-old Pfc. Rushing, from Longwood, Florida, served with the 3rd Squadron, 71st Cavalry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division (Light), based at Fort Drum, New York.

Pfc. Rushing joined the army in March this year and deployed to Afghanistan in August. Among his awards and decorations are the Purple Heart, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, and the Army Combat Action Badge, according to Fort Drum officials.

He leaves behind his parents.

[Grace]

13 November 2011

Alaska-based US Army Sgt. 1st Class Johnathan B. McCain, from Arizona, was killed in action on 13th November 2011 in Kandahar province, when an insurgent bomb exploded beside his patrol vehicle.

38-year-old Sgt. McCain served with the 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, based at Fort Wainwright. He joined the army in 1992 and was stationed at Fort Wainwright from 2000. Prior to this deployment, he had served two combat tours in Iraq.

His death happened a day after another Fort Wainwright soldier, Spc. Calvin Pereda, was killed by a bomb while on foot patrol in Kandahar.

[Grace]

12 November 2011

21-year-old US Army Specialist Calvin Evangelista Pereda, originally from Guam, was killed in action in Kandahar province on 12th November 2011 when an insurgent bomb exploded whilst his unit was conducting a foot patrol.

Spc. Pereda served with the 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, based at Fort Wainwright, Alaska. He joined the Army in March 2010 and deployed to Afghanistan earlier this year.

His mother, Rosario Evangelista Pereda, moved to the Fayetteville area from Guam in 2000 with her sons. She was a single mother and wanted to start a better life for her boys, his cousin, Emerald Evangelista Salas said in a statement to press.

[Scooter's Mom]

9 November 2011

Several of my friends in Houston knew this young man. They buried him today.

[Grace]

18 November 2011

US Marine Lance Corporal Joshua D. Corral was killed in action during combat operations in Helmand on 18th November 2011.

19-year-old L-Cpl. Corral, from Danville, California, was a machine-gunner serving with the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, based at Twentynine Palms, California.

He joined the Marine Corps in July 2010 and deployed to Sangin, Afghanistan with the 3rd Battalion on his first overseas tour of duty. His awards include the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.

[Grace]

England

British Army Private Thomas Christopher Lake, from 1st Battalion The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment, was killed in action during a patrol in the Jamal Kowi area of Nahr-e Saraj, Helmand on Sunday 20th November 2011. He was caught in the blast of an insurgent bomb and was airlifted to a field hospital. Sadly, he was declared killed in action.

29-year-old Private Lake, from Watford, joined the Army in November 2009 and passed out of training in May 2010, joining 1st Battalion The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (1 PWRR), known as 'The Tigers', in Germany shortly afterwards.

He deployed to Canada with B Company, 4 Platoon in July 2010 and stayed with that platoon for the rest of his training and deployment to Afghanistan.

Lieutenant Colonel James Coote, Commanding Officer, 1st Battalion The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment, said: "Private Tom Lake epitomised the very best qualities of the British infantryman; he was a true Tiger - ever professional and totally committed to his mates and his battalion, he had an irrepressible smile and an understated manner that together made him hugely respected by all those that had the privilege to serve with him."

Private Lake leaves behind his mother Carol among other family and friends.