2013 lest we forget

<ul><li>www.issaquahpress.comLest We ForgetLest We ForgetLest We ForgetWednesday, May 22, 2013By Christina Corrales-Toynewcastle@isspress.comBefore Issaquah resident Lou Ortiz boarded the USS Lexington and conducted mis-sions all around the Pacific, the World War II veteran had to fight a different bat-tle one with his mother.After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the eager 16-year-old was determined to enlist in the U.S. Navy, despite the fact that he was underage.I was so upset with it that I just kept saying to my mom, Mom, I want to help. Youve got to let me join, he said.Ortizs mother finally gave in to the unrelenting teen, reluctantly signing papers to allow the then 17-year-old to join the Navy.I was patriotic enough to join when I was just a young man and I still feel the same way, Ortiz said.Sitting comfortably in his Klahanie home, Ortiz fondly reflected on his time as an aviation gunner and radio-man with the U.S. Navy during World War II.Taking flightOnce enlisted, Ortiz did not hesitate for a second when asked what role he wanted to assume. I wanted to fly, the now 88-year-old said in a recent interview as a grin stretched across his face and he pointed toward the sky.After spending a sig-nificant amount of time mastering naval communi-cation processes, including Morse code, Ortiz was sent to Long Beach, Calif., where he was paired with a pilot. Ortizs pilot, Robert Smith, or Smitty as he was called, manned the planes flight, while Ortiz, as a gunner, controlled the aircrafts weapons and communica-tions.In 1944, Ortiz and his bomber squadron were assigned to the aircraft car-rier USS Lexington. By Dan AznoffRichard Murphy is at a dif-ficult age.At 90 years old, he can still remember the pain in his leg from the crash-landing on Sakhalin Island in December 1944. He still remembers his crew sitting down to dinner with their Russian captors while they were being held as prisoners of war. Murphy is also aware that the early stages of dementia have taken away his ability to remember what type of plane he flew, who operated the POW camp, his rank or how he escaped. He becomes frustrated when he is unable to recall his wifes name or how many chil-dren they had together.The former bomber pilot still wears his pilot hat when he comes down to dinner at the Spiritwood Retirement Commu-Staff sergeant, U.S. Army Air Force, 375th Bomber Squadron, 308th Bomber Group, Heavy; reported MIA between January and April 1944; crew of plane was never found. Tablets of the missing are at Manila American Cemetery, Manila, Philippines. Second lieu-tenant, U.S. Army Air Force,443rd Bomb Squadron, 320th Bomb GroupMIA Oct. 23, 1943, over the Tyrrhenian Sea near Giannuitri Island. The crew of the downed B-26 was seen in life rafts but Air-Sea Rescue boats could not locate them, and no one from the crew was ever seen again. Tablets of the missing are at Florence American Cemetery in Florence, Italy.Staff sergeant, U.S. Army Air Force, 589th Bomb Squadron, 387th Bomb GroupShot down near Mayan, Germany, where his crew was attacking a rail-road viaduct, on Dec. 23, 1944.Private, U.S. Army Air Force, 481st Service Squadron, 46th Air Service GroupBorn: Nov. 28, 1920 Killed April 18, 1945, in accidental bomb explo-sion. Buried in Hillside Cemetery.Captain, U.S. Air ForceBorn: July 27, 1939,MIA May 31, 1966, Declared dead: Feb. 11, 1975Missing in air loss/crash in North Vietnam. (Remains never recov-ered.)Second lieutenant, U.S. Army Air Force, 737th Bomb Squadron, 454th Bomb GroupShot down in Croatia on April 21, 1944.Second lieutenantU.S. Army Air Force45th Fighter Squadron, 15th Fighter GroupMIA June 1, 1945, some-where between Iwo Jima and Osaka, Japan; weather may have been the reason for the loss.Private first class, U.S. Army,infantry,Born: Feb. 17, 1926 Died: June 14, 1945184th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. KIA by a grenade attacking Hill 181 in Ryuku, Okinawa, Japan. Buried in Arlington National Cemetery.Private, U.S. Army, 18th Engineer RegimentDied: Aug. 10, 1918Buried in Suresnes American Cemetery, in Suresnes, France. From the Sept. 27, 1918, Press: A large con-gregation attended the memorial ser-vice Sunday afternoon at Issaquah in honor of Peter Erickson, the first of the boys from Issaquah to die in the service of his country. The oration delivered by the Rev. S. V. Warren touched a high note of patrio-tism.Woman Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs)Died in a training exer-cise over Sweetwater, Texas, in May 1944. Buried in Lakeview Cemetery, Seattle.Because WASPs were considered civilians, she never received a military burial. She was recently awarded a Congressional Gold Medal by President Obama.Corporal, U.S. Army, Scotch Platoon, C Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry DivisionBorn: March 7, 1949Died: June 18, 1969KIA in Tay Ninh, South Vietnam. Buried in Greenwood Memorial Park, Renton.Sergeant, U.S. Army, 8th InfantryApril 7, 1925 July 15, 1944Graduated from Issaquah High School in 1943.KIA in Normandy, France. Buried in Hillside Cemetery.Private, U.S. Army,701 T.D. BattalionJuly 9, 1924 May 31, 1944Graduated from Issaquah High School in 1942. KIA in Anzio, Italy. Buried in Hillside Cemetery.Corporal,U.S. Army,C Company, 3rd Battalion, 47th Infantry, 9th Infantry DivisionDied at age 21.Born: May 6, 1946 Died: July 29, 1967 He was shot in early 1967, but recovered; was back in action only a few days when he was killed in Dinh Tuong Province, South Vietnam. Buried in Hillside Cemetery.Freedom isnt free. Since the birth of this country, men and women have been willing to fight and die for Americans to be free to live their lives as they choose. And the number of those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice is staggering. More than 1.3 million men and women have died in wars fought by or on behalf of this country since 1775.Men and women have also been willing to sacrifice their personal time, by serv-ing in times when war was not on or imminent. They have done all types of jobs that people in the civilian sector do, but instead did them in service to this coun-try while they stood ready to defend our lives, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.We at The Issaquah Press salute, honor and thank the men and women from our community who have paid all types of sac-rifices to keep themselves, their families and everyone else free. We hope you will do the same.Remembering the 19 who gave the ultimate sacrifice Paul Alfred AmbroseRobert ArndtRobert BaskettJack McQuadePeter Erickson George C. LarsenJohn Raymond SmartInformation is incomplete and/or conflicting for the 19 local veterans killed while serving in wartime. Photos also could not be located for three of them. If you have information or pho-tos, email editor@isspress.com or call 392-6434, ext. 227.Clifford BensonElizabeth EricksonRobert PhilpRobert WatsonJames Patrick BradyLaurence J. LortieEmmett R. McDonaldFlight officer, U.S. Army Air Force, 422nd Bomb Squadron, 305th Bomb GroupKilled Aug. 6, 1944, when the B-17 he was co-piloting was hit by flak and crashed near Vollradisroda, Germany.Interred in Germany; later brought home to Greenwood Memorial Park, Renton.Joseph Albert TondreauFireman first class, U.S. Navy/Naval ReserveMIA or buried at sea Dec. 18, 1944.Tablets of the missing are at Manila American Cemetery in Manila, Philippines.Louis PetersenCarl Albert LarsonCorporal, U.S. Army 361st Infantry Regiment, 91st DivisionDied Oct. 9, 1918Buried in Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery, in Romagne, France.(no photo available)Robert HoskinsLance corporal (mortarman),U.S. Marine Corps, H&S Company 5, Mar 1 Mar DivBorn: Sept. 14, 1949 Died: Nov. 25, 1968KIA in Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam). Buried in Hillside Cemetery. (no photo available)Harold GleasonPrivate first class, U.S. Army, 301st Infantry Regiment, 94th DivisionBorn: Feb. 6, 1916 Killed March 2, 1945, while serving as a medic near Serrig, Germany. Buried in Hillside Cemetery. (no photo available)I was patriotic enough to join when I was just a young man and I still feel the same way. Lou Ortiz, World War II veteranBy Christina Corrales-toyLou Ortiz proudly displays the medals he earned in the U.S. Navy during World War II in his Klahanie home.STILL PAYING TRIBUTESee TRIBUTE, Page C6World War II vet recalls the days he took to the air as an eager teenContriButedIssaquah resident Lou Ortiz served as an aviation radioman and gunner in the U.S. Navy during World War II.Bomber pilot shares vivid memories of POW camp, raids over JapanSee PILOT, Page C6By GreG FarrarRichard Murphy (left), wearing his bomber jacket and Army Air Corps cap, and his son Kevin share one of their get-togethers with a visit at Spiritwood Retirement Community at Pine Lake.Any landing is not a crash if you can walk away. Richard MurphyWorld War II veteranFlintofts Funeral Home and Crematory is proud to honor our communitys veterans.</li><li> B2 Wednesday, May 22, 2013 The Issaquah Press In loving memory of SSgt. Dale and Lt. Alice LeeRoger Lee BrownHighest rank achieved: Army PFC and Navy MR3Branch of service: Army and NavyWhere served: 41st Infantry Division 146 Field Artillery (Army); USS Ticonderoga; USS Coral SeaDetails of service: Multiple cruises with Pacific Fleet to the Far EastDates of service: Army 1955-58; Navy 1958-62Christopher Brown Sr.Highest rank achieved: ABH 3rd classBranch of service: U.S. NavyWhere served: CVN 68 USS NimitzDetails of service: Served in Atlantic Fleet with multiple cruises to the Mediterranean areaDates of service: March 1979 to March 1983Christopher Brown Jr.Highest rank achieved: SergeantBranch of service: U.S. ArmyWhere served: 2nd Infantry Division, 3rd Stryker BrigadeDetails of service: Fought in every major battle in Iraqi Freedom, including Fallujah, Mosul and Baghdad; received two Purple Hearts, Commendation for Stryker Vehicle Commander under hostile engage-ments; Personal Commendation Medal for Operation Iraqi FreedomDates of service: November 2004 to presentFred ButlerHighest rank achieved: ColonelBranch of service: U.S. ArmyWhere served: Vietnam, Germany and U.S.Dates of service: Jan. 8, 1963 to Jan. 31, 1990Wayne E. BusbyBorn: 1920Died: 1995Highest rank achieved: Aviation Machinists Mate Second Class; ratings held S1c, AMM3c, AMM2cBranch of service: U.S. NavyWhere served: NRAB Seattle, NRAB Pasco, Hed Ron 14-2, FAW-14, Hed Ron Fleet Airwing Six-FAW-4Dates of service: April 1942 to October 1945Gaius Sunday BuxtonHighest rank achieved: Signalman third classBranch of service: U.S. NavyWhere served: Signalman on staff of Commander Transport Division 60 in the Pacific area on the USS Grimes; Okinawa Campaign, initial occupation of Tokyo Bay Area and Nagasaki, JapanDates of service: 1944-1946Jean-Michel ChristopherHighest rank achieved: EM2 (electricians mate second class)Branch of service: U.S. NavyWhere served: USS City of Corpus Christi Dates of service: August 1992 to August 1998George W. Croft Jr. (Bud)Highest rank achieved: E9 (master chief petty officer)Branch of service: U.S. ArmyWhere served: Pacific Theatre, WWIIWounded in action: In Pearl Harbor hospital recovering from appendectomy when the Japanese began bombing Pearl Harbor. Ran out to veranda to see the entire Harbor as it was being bombed. Read his story in the military section on AncientFaces.com.Dates of service: 1941-1971Joseph Elmer ChevalierBorn: Aug. 3, 1925Highest rank achieved: Coxswain on the USS PGM19Branch of service: U.S. NavyWhere served: Okinawa and RyukyusDates of service: August 1942 to January 1946Theodore Vernon Colbert Sr.Born: Jan. 22, 1922Died: Jan. 6, 2012Highest rank achieved: PFC/ Special Weapons GroupBranch of service: U.S. Marine CorpsWhere served: World War II, in the Pacific Region and fought in the Russell and Solomon islands, on Rendova Island, and in Guam and the Guadalcanal Islands, and stormed many beachesDates of service: Nov. 12, 1942 to May 5, 1945Details of service: awarded the Asiatic Pacific Ribbon 1 star for New Georgia Group OperationsPhillip James ConwayBorn: Feb. 22, 1926Highest rank achieved: Coxswain on the USS RenshawBranch of service: U.S. NavyWhere served: World War II Solomon Islands, Marianas, Marshall Islands, Saipan, Tinian, GuamDetails of service: He was the coxen charged with ferrying the big shots to shore and transporting work crews around the ship or to shore in a gig.Dates of service: 1943 to 1946Dallas CrossHighest rank achieved: PFC, U.S. Army Infantry (twice achieved)Branch of service: U.S. ArmyWhere served:Fort McNair, Washington, D.C., and Fort Meyer Arlington Cemetery, Arlington, Va.Dates of service: Active service, Sept. 11, 1957 to Sept. 10, 1959; Army Reserve, 1959-1962Details of service: Drill platoon in The Old Guard Regiment, 1957; worked with the Secret Service as bayonet-guarded cordon lines to limit access to the President and visiting heads of stateAlice L. DavisHighest rank achieved: Petty officer first class Branch of service: U.S. NavyWhere served: San Diego; Great Lakes, Ill.; Pearl Harbor; Camp LeJune, N.C.Dates of service: Aug. 11, 1994 to present William DixonHighest rank achieved: Bosn mate second classBranch of service: U.S. NavyWhere served: Mediterranean and Pacific TheatresDates of service: October 1942 to January 1946W.J. (Joe) DodgeDied: June 3, 1982Highest rank achieved: Private (infantry)Branch of service: U.S. Army (Samuel Company)Where served: Georgia, not deployedDates of service: Discharged May 3, 1919W.J. (Joe) Dodge Jr.Highest rank achieved: AO3 (aviation ord-nance man third class)Branch of service: U.S. NavyWhere served: USS Hancock CVA-19, Southeast AsiaDates of service: October 1961 to November 1963Thomas D. DoneganHighest rank achieved: Lieutenant colonelBranch of service: U.S. Army Where served: Panama, England, Europe, KoreaWounded in action: Suffered machine gun leg wounds while leading a rifle pla-toon into Germany in February 1945Dates of service: January 1940 July 1946, July 1952 to January 1965James R. DarstBorn: Jan. 1, 1927Died: Oct. 27, 2011Branch of service: U.S. NavyDates of service: 1945-1947Details of service: served aboard a land-ing-craft carrier in the Pacific Theater during World War II Raymond C. DavisBorn: July 8, 1941Highest rank achieved: Radarman third classBranch of service: U.S. NavyWhere served: Far East, Pacific, Guantanamo Bay, CubaDetails of service: Served on the USS Washburn and USS CabildoDates of service: 1959 to 1963Archie AdairBorn: May 5, 1911Died: Feb. 18, 1985Branch of service: U.S. ArmyWhere served: Germany in World War IIDetails of service: While with the 83rd Infantry Division in Germany, was award-ed the combat infantrymans badge for displaying exemplary co...</li></ul>

2013 lest we forget

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