Memorial Day

For all who gave their last full measure for their country.

"Our debt to the heroic men and valiant women in the service of our country can never be repaid. They have earned our undying gratitude. America will never forget their sacrifices." - Harry S. Truman

Our dead are never dead to us until we have forgotten them for a man is not dead while his name is spoken.

These are members of my division who fell during my tour in Iraq. May they never be forgotten.

SSG Christopher E. Cutchall
D Troop, 4th Cavalry
September 29, 2003
2LT Todd J. Bryant
C Company, 1-34 Armor
October 31, 2003
SSG Gary L. Collins
A Company, 1-16 Infantry
November 8, 2003
SSG Mark D. Vasquez
A Company, 1-16 Infantry
November 8, 2003
SPC Josph L. Lister
B Company, 1-34 Armor
November 20, 2003
SPC Thomas J. Sweet II
Service Battery, 1-5 Field Artillery
November 27, 2003
SPC Uday Singh
C Company, 1-34 Armor
December 1, 2003
SGT Ryan C. Young
A Company, 1-16 Infantry
December 2, 2003
SGT Jarrod W. Black
B Company, 1-34 Armor
December 12, 2003
SGT Dennis A. Corral
C Company, 1st Engineer Battalion
January 1, 2004
SFC Gregory B. Hicks
B Troop, 1-9 Cavalry
January 8, 2004
SPC William R. Sturges Jr.
B Troop, 1-9 Cavalry
January 24, 2004
SPC Jason K. Chappell
B Troop, 1-9 Cavalry
January 24, 2004
SGT Randy S. Rosenberg
B Troop, 1-9 Cavalry
January 24, 2004
CPT Matthew J. August
B Company, 1st Engineer Battalion
January 27, 2004
SFC James T. Hoffman
B Company, 1st Engineer Battalion
January 27, 2004
SGT Travis A. Moothart
B Company, 1st Engineer Battalion
January 27, 2004
SSG Sean G. Landrus
B Company, 1st Engineer Battalion
January 29, 2004
PFC Nichole M. Frye
415th Civil Affairs Battalion
February 16, 2004
2LT Jeffrey C. Graham
C Company, 1-34 Armor
February 19, 2004
SPC Roger G. Ling
C Company, 1-34 Armor
February 19, 2004
SFC Richard S. Gottfried
HHC, Division Support Command
March 9, 2004
SSG Joe L. Dunigan Jr.
B Company, 1-16 Infantry
March 11, 2004
SPC Christopher K. Hill
B Company, 1-16 Infantry
March 11, 2004
CPT John F. Kurth
B Company, 1-18 Infantry
March 13, 2004
SPC Jason C. Ford
B Company, 1-18 Infantry
March 13, 2004
SPC Jocelyn L. Carrasquillo
HHC, 1-120 Infantry
March 13, 2004
SPC Tracy L. Laramore
B Company, 1-18 Infantry
March 17, 2004
SPC Clint R. Matthews
B Company, 1-18 Infantry
March 19, 2004
PFC Ernest H. Sutphin
B Battery, 2-11 Field Artillery
March 19, 2004
PFC Jason C. Ludlam
HHC, 2-2 Infantry
March 19, 2004
PFC Dustin L. Kreider
B Company, 1-26 Infantry
March 21, 2004
SPC Adam D. Froehlich
C Battery, 1-6 Field Artillery
March 25, 2004
1LT Doyle M. Hufstedler
B Company, 1st Engineer Battalion
March 31, 2004
SPC Sean R. Mitchell
B Company, 1st Engineer Battalion
March 31, 2004
SPC Michael G. Karr Jr.
B Company, 1st Engineer Battalion
March 31, 2004
PFC Cleston C. Raney
B Company, 1st Engineer Battalion
March 31, 2004
PVT Brandon L. Davis
B Company, 1st Engineer Battalion
March 31, 2004
PFC John D. Amos II
C Company, 1-21 Infantry
April 4, 2004
SGT Lee D. Todacheene
HHC, 1-77 Armor
April 6, 2004
SFC Marvin L. Miller
C Troop, 1-4 Cavalry
April 7, 2004
SPC Isaac M. Nieves
A Company, 82nd Engineer Battalion
April 8, 2004
SFC Raymond E. Jones
C Company, 1-7 Field Artillery
April 9, 2004
SSG Toby W. Mallet
C Company, 1-7 Field Artillery
April 9, 2004
SPC Allen J. Vandayburg
C Company, 2-2 Infantry
April 9, 2004
SPC Peter G. Enos
HHB, 1-7 Field Artillery
April 9, 2004
SGT William C. Eckhart
F Troop, 4th Cavalry
April 10, 2004
PFC Nathan P. Brown
C Company, 2-108 Infantry
April 11, 2004
SSG Victor A. Rosaleslomeli
A Company, 2-2 Infantry
April 13, 2004
SGT Christopher Ramirez
B Company, 1-16 Infantry
April 14, 2004
SPC Richard K. Trevithick
C Company, 9th Engineer Battalion
April 14, 2004
SGT Brian M. Wood
A Company, 9th Engineer Battalion
April 16, 2004
SPC Marvin A. Camposiles
HHC, 1-26 Infantry
April 17, 2004
PFC Shawn C. Edwards
B Company, 121st Signal Battalion
April 23, 2004
SPC Martin W. Kondor
A Company, 1-63 Armor
April 29, 2004
SGT Joshua S. Ladd
367th Maintenance Company
April 30, 2004
SPC Trevor A. Win'e
24th Quartermaster Company
May 1, 2004
CPT John E. Tipton
HHC, 1-16 Infantry
May 2, 2004
SSG Todd E. Nunes
A Company, 1-21 Infantry
May 2, 2004
CPT Christopher J. Kenny
F Troop, 4th Cavalry
May 3, 2004
SSG Marvin R. Sprayberry III
HHC, 2-2 Infantry
May 3, 2004
SGT Gregory L. Wahl
F Troop, 4th Cavalry
May 3, 2004
PFC Lyndon A. Marcus
F Troop, 4th Cavalry
May 3, 2004
SPC James J. Holmes
C Company, 141st Engineer Battalion
May 8, 2004
SPC Phillip D. Brown
B Company, 141st Engineer Battalion
May 8, 2004
SPC Marcos O. Nolasco
B Company, 1-33 Field Artillery
May 18, 2004
SSG Joseph P. Garyantes
B Company, 1-63 Armor
May 18, 2004
SPC Michael C. Campbell
Headquarters Troop, 1-4 Cavalry
May 19, 2004
SPC Owen D. Witt
B Troop, 1-4 Cavalry
May 23, 2004
PFC Richard H. Rosas
3-62 Air Defense Artillery, 10th Mt. Div.
May 25, 2004
PFC James P. Lamber t
3-62 Air Defense Artillery, 10th Mt. Div.
May 25, 2004
PFC Jeremiah D. Smith
A Company, 1-34 Armor
May 26, 2004
PFC Marcus J. Johnson
D Battery, 4-3 Air Defense Artillery
June 1, 2004
LCPL Todd J. Bolding
2-4-5 Marine Regiment
June 3, 2004
CPT Humayun S. M. Khan
HHC, 201st Forward Support Bn.
June 8, 2004
PFC Jason N. Lynch
C Company, 1-6 Field Artillery
June 18, 2004
CPL Tommy L. Parker Jr.
2-4-5 Marine Regiment
June 21,2004
LCPL Deshon E. Otey
2-4-5 Marine Regiment
June 21, 2004
LCPL Pedro Contreras
2-4-5 Marine Regiment
June 21, 2004
LCPL Juan Lopez
2-4-5 Marine Regiment
June 21, 2004
2LT Andre D. Tyson
A Company, 579th Engineer Battalion
June 22, 2004
SPC Patrick R. McCaffrey Sr.
A Company, 579th Engineer Battalion
June 22, 2004
CPT Christopher S. Cash
A Company, 1-120 Infantry
June 24, 2004
SPC Daniel A. Desens
A Company, 1-120 Infantry
June 24, 2004
2LT Brian D. Smith
A Company, 1-34 Armor
July 2, 2004
SPC Samuel R. Bowen
HSC, 216th Engineer Battalion
July 7, 2004
SGT Robert E. Colvill
HHC, 1-26 Infantry
July 8, 2004
SPC Sonny G. Sampler
HHC, 1-26 Infantry
July 8, 2004
SPC Collier Barcus
HHC, 1-26 Infantry
July 8, 2004
SPC William R. Emanuel
HHC, 1-26 Infantry
July 8, 2004
SPC Joseph M. Garmback Jr.
HHC, 1-26 Infantry
July 8, 2004
MSG Linda A. Tarango-Griess
267th Ordnance Company
July 11, 2004
SGT Jeremy J. Fischer
267th Ordnance Company
July 11, 2004
SGT Dustin W. Peters
314th Logistics Readiness Squadron
July 11, 2004
PFC Torry D. Harris
12th Chemical Company
July 13, 2004
SFC David A. Hartman
401st Transportation Company
July 17, 2004
PFC Nicholas H. Blodgett
A Troop, 1-4 Cavalry
July 21, 2004
SGT Tatijana Reed
66th Transportation Company
July 22, 2004
PFC Torey J. Dantzler
66th Transportation Company
July 22, 2004
SPC Nicholas Zangara
C Company, 1-7 Field Artillery
July 24, 2004
SGT Deforest L. Talbert
C Company, 1-150 Armor
July 27, 2004
PFC Joseph F. Herndon
A Company, 1-27 Infantry
July 29, 2004
SPC Anthony J. Dixon
B Troop, 1-4 Cavalry
August 1, 2004
SGT Armando Hernandez
B Troop, 1-4 Cavalry
August 1, 2004
SPC Donald R. McCune II
1-161 Infantry, 81st BCT
August 5, 2004
CPT Andrew R. Houghton
A Troop, 1-4 Cavalry
August 9, 2004
1LT Neil Anthony Santoriello
1-34 Armor, 1st BCT
August 13, 2004
SGT Daniel M. Shepherd
1-16 Infantry Regiment
August 15, 2004
1LT Charles L. Wilkins III
A Company, 216th Engineer Battalion
August 20, 2004
SPC Ryan A. Martin
A Company, 216th Engineer Battalion
August 20, 2004
2LT Matthew R. Stovall
401st Transportation Company, 167th CSG
August 22, 2004
SPC Charles L. Neeley
454th Transportation Company, 232nd CSG
August 25, 2004
A1C Carl L. Anderson
494th AEF, 835th CSG
August 29, 2004
SPC Joseph C. Thibodeaux
HHC, 2nd Brigade, 25th ID
September 1, 2004
SPC Brandon M. Read
125th Transportation Company, 167th CSG
September 6, 2004
SPC Michael Martinez
A Company, 1-6 Field Artillery
September 8, 2004
SPC Edgar P. Daclan Jr.
HHC, 1-18 Infantry
September 10, 2004
SPC Marva I. Gomez
A Company, 828th Finance Detachment
September 11, 2004
SPC Joshua J. Henry
A Company, 1-7 Field Artillery
September 20, 2004
SSG Lance J. Koenig
B Company, 141st Engineer Battalion
September 22, 2004
SPC Gregory A. Cox
C Company, 1-77 Armor
September 27, 2004
SFC Joselito Villanueva
C Company, 9th Engineer Battalion
September 27, 2004
SGT Tyler D. Prewitt
HHC, 2-2 Infantry
September 28, 2004
SSG Mike A. Dennie
106th Finance Battalion
September 29, 2004
SGT Michael Uvanni
B Company, 2-108 Infantry
October 1, 2004
PFC Mackenzie F. Callahan
E Troop, 196th Cavalry
October 1, 2004
SPC Morgen N. Jacobs
B Company, 1-18 Infantry
October 6, 2004
SSG Michael S. Voss
HHC, 1-120 Infantry
October 8, 2004
SPC Andrew C. Ehrlich
C Company, 2-2 Infantry
October 18, 2004
SPC Segun F. Akintade
A Company, 2-108th Infantry
October 28, 2004
SGT Charles J. Webb
A Company, 82nd Engineer Battalion
November 3, 2004
SPC Cody L. Wentz
A Company, 141st Engineer Battalion
November 4, 2004
CSM Steven W. Faulkenburg
HHC, 2-2 Infantry
November 9, 2004
SSG Michael C. Ottolini
A Company, 579th Engineer Battalion
November 10, 2004
SGT James C. Matteson
HHC, 2-2 Infantry
November 12, 2004
1LT Edward D. Iwan
A Company, 2-2 Infantry
November 12, 2004
CPT Sean P. Sims
A Company, 2-2 Infantry
November 13, 2004
SPC Daniel J. McConnell
C Company, 1-27 Infantry
November 16, 2004
SPC Jose R. Flores-Mejia
25th Transportation Company
November 16, 2004
SGT Jack Bryant Jr.
A Company, 1-6 Field Artillery
November 20, 2004
SPC Jeremy E. Christensen
A Troop, 1-4 Cavalry
November 27, 2004
SGT Trinidad R. Martinezluis
B Company, 201st Forward Support Bn.
November 28, 2004
SPC Erik W. Hayes
HHC, 2-2 Infantry
November 29, 2004
SPC David P. Mahlenbrock
B Company, 65th Engineer Battalion
December 3, 2004
SSG Todd D. Olson
C Company, 1-128 Infantry
December 26, 2004
PFC Curtis Wooten
C Company, 1-77 Armor
January 4, 2005
PFC Gunnar D. Becker
B Company, 2-63 Armor
January 13, 2005
SGT Kyle W. Childress
A Troop, 1-4 Cavalry
January 21, 2005
PFC Jesus A. LeonPerez
A Company, 2-2 Infantry
January 24, 2005
SSG Joseph W. Stevens
A Company, 2-2 Infantry
January 24, 2005
SPC Viktar V. Yolkin
A Company, 2-2 Infantry
January 24, 2005
SPC Michael C. Carlson
A Company, 2-2 Infantry
January 24, 2005
SGT Javier Marin Jr.
A Company, 2-2 Infantry
January 24, 2005
SGT William S. Kinzer
Headquarters Troop, 1-4 Cavalry
January 26, 2005
SPC Kevin M. Luna
B Company, 1-63 Armor
Jan 27, 2005

I did not see you had already started a thread. Thank you Greg. I will merge my posts into yours.

Save us a place in Valhalla.

An appropriate story for today:

(NewsNation) — As millions of Americans honor the men and women who sacrificed their lives to serve the country, one man is on a mission to make sure their gravesites remain hallowed ground.

Trae Zipperer is the founder of the nonprofit By Memorial Day, and the hope is for every veteran's final resting place to be properly cared for.

Zipperer goes around the country to help properly maintain and clean thousands of veterans' headstones that may have been damaged from weather, landscaping or simply time.

He says it's heartbreaking to look at the names on some of the markers knowing they did so much for their country, so this is his way of giving back.

"When you find these headstones that are covered in filth and you see those dates of 1942, 1943, 44, 45, 51, 67, and you look up these these names online and you find out that they were killed in action in service to our country, it just makes it that much more meaningful to get the filth off of them and show them the respect that they deserve as someone who gave their lives for our country," Zipperer told NewsNation in an interview that aired Monday on "Morning in America."

The Navy veteran specifically focuses on the stones and markers of veterans who are laid to rest in local cemeteries, where the maintenance of the stones may not be as robust as it is at a national, state or tribal cemetery.

"We believe every veteran headstone should be maintained in a clean and respectable condition as if it belongs in Arlington," By Memorial Day states on its website, referencing Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.

Zipperer has produced instructional videos showing and viewers how to correctly clean headstones themselves.

"We serve to inspire patriotic Americans in every town, in every corner of our great land, to organize a group of local volunteers to visit each cemetery nearby for the purpose of identifying veteran headstones in need of cleaning," the website states.

According to the National Cemetery Administration, more than 15 million headstones and markers for veterans have been given out nationwide since 1973. The latest data shows in 2022, close to 350,000 were produced and about 140,000 of those went to burials in private cemeteries.

There are 58,267 names now listed on that polished black wall, including those added in 2010.

The names are arranged in the order in which they were taken from us by date and within each date the names are alphabetized. It is hard to believe it is 36 years since the last casualties.

The first known casualty was Richard B. Fitzgibbon, of North Weymouth , Mass. Listed by the U.S. Department of Defense as having been killed on June 8, 1956. His name is listed on the Wall with that of his son, Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Richard B. Fitzgibbon III, who was killed on Sept. 7, 1965.

There are three sets of fathers and sons on the Wall.

39,996 on the Wall were just 22 or younger.

8,283 were just 19 years old.

The largest age group, 33,103 were 18 years old.
12 soldiers on the Wall were 17 years old.

5 soldiers on the Wall were 16 years old.

One soldier, PFC Dan Bullock was 15 years old.

997 soldiers were killed on their first day in Vietnam ..

1,448 soldiers were killed on their last day in Vietnam ..

31 sets of brothers are on the Wall.

Thirty one sets of parents lost two of their sons.

54 soldiers attended Thomas Edison High School in Philadelphia. I wonder why so many from one school.

8 Women are on the Wall. Nursing the wounded.

244 soldiers were awarded the Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War; 153 of them are on the Wall.

Beallsville, Ohio with a population of 475 lost 6 of her sons.

West Virginia had the highest casualty rate per capita in the nation. There are 711 West Virginians on the Wall.

The most casualty deaths for a single day was on January 31, 1968 ~ 245 deaths.

The most casualty deaths for a single month was May 1968 - 2,415 casualties were incurred.

For most Americans who read this they will only see the numbers that the Vietnam War created. To those of us who survived the war, and to the families of those who did not, we see the faces, we feel the pain that these numbers created. We are, until we too pass away, haunted with these numbers, because they were our friends, fathers, husbands, wives, sons and daughters. There are no noble wars, just noble warriors.