North Carolina XL

 Graham, North Carolina is the home of this memorial to the many who served in our nation's conflicts.

The section honoring our brothers and sister contains 42 names. 

Today, we honor these.

Kemper S. Billings

BM1 Kemper Billings was lost overboard while in high surf on the Hue River. His body was found days later washed up on a beach. He was lost on October 20, 1966, in the Thua Thien Province.

Dennis C. Boone

SP4 Dennis Boone was an infantryman who was lost on September 2, 1968, at Hua Nghia Province to "Artillery, Rocket, Mortar" explosion. I note that his name is spelled Denis on the memorial in Graham.

William Bray

2LT William Bray led his men up a hillside under heavy fire. He took out a number of enemy combatants before being mortally wounded himself. Oddly, I think, several days later some of his men engaged a different group of NVA soldiers, killing several. They found on one of them Bray's weapon which had disappeared in the previous battle. He was lost on November 6, 1967, in the Quang Tin Province. He was awarded a Silver Star for his actions.

Next time on April 23rd, we will return to North Dakota, so join me, as always, at 9 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.

New York XXXIII

This small, local memorial in Port Jervis, New York honors ten from the area including two who were MIAs.

Today, a few of them.

Peter Paul Bohnwagner

SGT Peter Bohnwagner was lost October 26, 1970, at Lam Dong to small arms fire.

Thomas J. Case

PFC Thomas Case was lost on May 9, 1967, to an "explosive device" at Quang Nam.

Peter H. Garms

PFC Peter Garms was born in Port Jervis but grew up in Pennsylvania. He was lost 5 days after arriving in 'Nam in a training accident with a hand grenade. He was destined to be a clerk. Tragic: as were all the losses.

Next time on 18th, we will return to North Carolina, so join me there, as always, at 9 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.

New Mexico XXXIII

New Mexico, as you may know, is one of my favorite places. 

I have featured this memorial previously and today I am going to highlight and honor a few of the names remembered here.

The memorial is located in front of the Luna Mimbres Museum in Deming, New Mexico.

There are no names listed on this memorial but below are three of the heroes from the area lost in 'Nam.

Steve Duran

HN Steve Duran was a Nave Hospitalman who was lost in the Quang Tin Province on February 3, 1966. He was lost to "other explosive device...."

Clovis L. May

SGT Clovis L. May was lost at Quang Tin Province on May 22, 1969. He was lost to "rocket, mortar fire..."

Jimmy F. Nabours

WO Jimmy Nabours survived a helicopter crash but later died from his injuries. He was lost on June 30, 1970, in Cambodia.

Next time on 13th, we will return to New York, so join me there, as always, at 9 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.

New Jersey XXXIV

I am choosing to write about a place from which I have no memorial today. Manasquan is a beach town I visited with my buddy Tony after receiving my draft notice. I knew I had 30 days before reporting and decided to make the best of them.

I am not from New Jersey but many of my family were born there many years ago. So, it has always held a spot in my heart. In fact, a relative was the last owner of the once famous Palisades Park. He hosted us for a bit while we were in the area and gave us free run of the park.

But, enough of that. What I do have is two heroes lost in 'Nam.

I cropped this picture from his ID as no other useable photos were available.

Robert C. Kugelmann was working in the Tay Ninh Province on the morning or December 12, 1967. He collapsed and was rushed to the hospital at Long Binh where he died the morning after, 12/13/67 of a ruptured aneurysm. This is a very rare happening, approximately 0.3 percent. He was 21 years old.

Richard C. Stewart

LCPL Richard Stewart was killed on February 2, 1966, at Quang Nam Province. He was a rifleman and was lost to "other explosive device." He was 19 years old.

Next time, on April 8th, we will return to New Mexico, to honor a few who were lost from the state, 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.