Hawai'i VII

So, today I am a bit behind schedule due to some unforeseen circumstances. I promised, previously, to write something about Hawai'i today and will give it a shot now.

On my two visits to our 50th state, I was able to find a few memorials that are posted elsewhere on the site. to check them out, just click Hawai'i from the list of states on the left side of the page.

I may well be back in this beautiful state in mid 2026 and, just maybe, I will be able to find additional memorials, but in the meantime, today, I will feature a couple of names from the magnificent memorial in Oahu.

Gideon Picha Johnson

SFC Gideon Johnson was lost at Thua Thein on January 31, 1968. He was a Paratrooper and a Medic. Assigned to the 101st Airborne unit he left behind a wife and at least one child. Little else is available.

Robert Kiyoshi Kawamura

SSGT Kawamura was born in California but buried at the Cemetery of The Pacific, commonly known as The Punchbowl. His plane was shot down on February 15, 1968. He "died while missing."                

Donald Marshall

SP4 Donald Marshall was on a "sweep" mission when his platoon was attacked by a far superior number of heavily armed Viet Cong. He was hit several times and was lost February 19th, 1968 at Binh Thuan.

It interest me that all three of todays lost heroes died in 1968. This is pure chance for me, but '68 was the year of the greatest loss of American forces.

I complain, again, about the poor quality of some of the photographs. My recollection is that all service members were photographed by the military during basic. Is this not so? Anyone out there able to correct my thinking? 

If not, why are not better pictures of these men and women available? Just seems disrespectful to me.

Next time on November 23rd, we will return to Idaho and additional faces to honor, so join me there, as usual at 9:00 am. 

If you are following along at all, you will have seen that a number of you, like Joan from Wisconsin, Tony from Texas, Mike from Maryland, Ron from Florida, Tim from Virginia, Molly from Florida, Colleen from Pennsylvania, Elli from Maryland, and Peg and Ray from Florida, among others, have responded to my request to send me memorials you have seen in your area or where you may have traveled. I even got one from Ireland! These submissions help expand the knowledge of how we have remembered the men and women who served and/or were lost in 'Nam and you help to honor them. If you have any such photos, I would love to see them. Please send them along to the email at the left and I will gladly share them here.

I hope all those listed here will encourage you to send along photos and join the group.