Remembering the fallen - personally...

[PALADIN85020]

With Memorial Day being Monday, I'd like to open this thread by remembering those we knew personally who gave their last full measure of devotion to our country. Here are two brave men I knew who lost their lives at an early age, getting no further chance to complete long and hopefully happy lives.

This man was Army 1/LT Ed Cribb, who was an Army aviator. We were close friends in high school, where we were both ROTC senior cadet officers. His Mohawk observation plane was crippled on his second tour in Vietnam. He was too low for his chute to open, and he died with a back broken in three places. He left a wife and two children. His remains are buried in the Fort Benning cemetery in Georgia.



This was USAF Maj. Chuck Walling. We were classmates, good friends and fraternity brothers in college. Chuck's Phantom jet fighter-bomber was shot down in Vietnam; he went down with the plane. His remains were not found until recent years, but when they were found and identified, they were brought back to the U.S., and he was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. I met his son at that time, and he is the spitting image of his dad.



I remember these fine men, and they will always be my personal heroes. Perhaps you would like to take a moment or two to remember personal friends and family who gave their lives; and post pictures if you have them. We should all be grateful for their sacrifices and strive to be worthy of them.

John

 

[Kenna]

God Bless your friends and others who have sacrificed for this nation

 

[crazyphil]

My cousin inspired me to go see the Air Force recruiter on my 17th birthday.
Elmer G. Hahn was commander of B-29 15A "Werewolf" 20th
Air Force, 73rd Bomb Wing, 497th Bomb Group, 870th Bomb Squadron.
With a crew of 11 "Werewolf" flew from it's base on Saipan January 17,
1945. It's target was the Nakajima aircraft factory on the outskirts of
Tokyo. The weather was poor, flak was intense, and "Werewolf" was
attacked by Japanese fighter planes. An explosion broke the bomber in
two. Apparantly 4 were killed in the explosion as 7 parachutes were
observed by other B-29 crews. Three of those who bailed out had
parachute malfunctions and apparantly died. Four made it to the ground,
were captured and taken to the concentration camp at Shibuya. Sgt.
Myhra died of burn wounds, probably from the explosion, on February 10,
1945. On May 26, 1945 the prison at Shibuya was hit by a B-29 fire
bomb attack. The remaining three, the pilot, Elmer Hahn, the co-pilot,
and the engineer were probably all killed at that time. My cousin, Elmer
Hahn had flown B-24s over North Africa before being sent to the Pacific.

 

[F4phantom]

“Some pople spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But, the Marines don't have that problem.”

― Ronald Reagan

The three Marines listed here were friends of mine. I went through 12 years of school with two of them, Richy and Terry. Bill Coyne was a neighbor, he went to Catholic schools. They are all on the Wall along with a couple more I knew.

Lance Cpl. Richard E. Fuchs
Lance Cpl. Timothy D. Berry
Lance Cpl. William F. Coyne
January 11, 1967

HOW HE DIED: Fuchs was killed with two other Massillon men, Lance Cpls.William F. Coyne and Timothy D. Berry, and five other Marines when the UH-34 helicopter they were passengers in crashed in the South China Sea near Chu Lai after apparent engine trouble. Fuchs is buried at Brookfield Cemetery in Massillon.

I also went to high school with this fine Marine,

Pfc. Lamont D. Hill Aug. 18, 1946 – March 6, 1967
SERVICE: Hill served with the Weapons Platoon, Company I, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, 3rd Marine Division, U.S. Marine Corps. Hill was the recipient of the Navy Cross, the second-highest military honor, Purple Heart, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, Vietnam Campaign Medal.
HOW HE DIED: Hill was killed when his unit came under automatic weapons fire during a company sweep near the village of Than Hioh. Hill was one of the first struck. Despite his serious wounds and without regard to his personal safety, Hill fired back at the enemy to provide covering fire so his wounded comrades could move to safety. Hill, refusing medical treatment, shifted his weapon to provide a base of fire to the entrenched enemy, enabling two squads to assault and kill 20 enemies. Hill died during the assault. On April 16, 1967, the U.S. Marine Corps named Camp Hill, an artillery position near Gio Linh Village, in his honor. He is buried at the Massillon Cemetery.

 

[bigmtnman]

Remembering my friend Kurt Hussman on Memorial day. LCPL Kurt Christopher Hussmann, Hyattsville, MD on www.VirtualWall.org The Virtual Wall® Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall
Kurt and I were the two baritone horn players in our Northwestern HS concert band. We sat side by side every school day for two years playing our horns in band class, so we HAD to be friends. Kurt was immensely likable with a great sense of humor and we shared many “band adventures”. I will always remember the two of us exploring the New York world’s fair together after the concert we gave there. Anyone who new Kurt would agree that Kurt was someone you knew you were to going to have fun with...Kurt was a real “hoot”! We re-connected in college (he was a year behind me) . When Kurt told me he was leaving school and joining the Marines I was of course fearful for his safety. It was something that he really wanted to do and from which he could not be dissuaded. When he came back, I went to the funeral home with a very heavy heart to pay my respects. I can still see him in his dress blues with a purple heart on his chest. But what I will always remember more is my fun loving “band buddy” with whom I shared and made so many great memories.

 

[Hawkeye3844]

I’m sorry for your loss.
Kurt paid the ultimate price for us to be free. He is a true Patriot.
Although time does make things seem to feel less, it’s the holidays like this weekend that bring back fond memories, and sorrow to loved ones and friends, because they feel the loss of those who have departed, a lot of times prematurely.
May God Bless Kurt, and those he left behind.
From a Veteran who knows all to well, thank you for his service! Thank you for remembering and honoring him, on this holiday, and every day!

Hawk

 

[tlawler]

My brother, who died in Vietnam when I was 5. And my half-brother, whom I never knew of until several years after he was killed when his F-15 crashed off of Iceland. But he is family and I’m very honored to recognize his courage and call him my brother.

http://smith-wessonforum.com/lounge/521811-honoring-my-personal-hero.html?highlight=Daniel

http://smith-wessonforum.com/lounge/578825-02jan1986.html?highlight=Nelson

 

[BC38]

Remembering my godson, PFC Andrew J Shields.
He was a combat medic killed after only two weeks in country when the convoy of Humvees he was in was hit by roadside IEDs in Afghanistan.
Andrew was a great kid, a good student, and a volunteer fireman. He only ever wanted to serve his country and his fellow soldiers. RIP Andrew.

 

[Baxter6551]

To everyone who posted / posts here thank you to your friends and relatives for their service / heroism and sacrifice. True Hero’s.