Thanksgiving
From 2-17AirCav elsewhere on TAH:
This seemed to be the appropriate place to post the following, inasmuch as pretenders and posers will never know the following:
Tomorrow many of us will be with family for a Thanksgiving day of turkey, football, and squabbling. We will think of loved ones who are no longer at the table and say a prayer of thanks for them and our many blessings. We will remember others too, those who made the supreme sacrifice in service to our country. Below is a sampling, by year, of those whose sacrifice was made in South Vietnam on Thanksgiving Day itself. When I started this small effort, I quickly found that there were far too many men to list here whose casualty date fell on Thanksgiving. Perhaps you will read their names and know one. In a very real sense, of course, regardless of our age, our dates of service, our branch–we knew each of them. God bless them all and God bless their families.
Thanksgiving Day Casualties, South Vietnam, 25 November 1965
Arthur Melvin Gordon, Private First Class, US Army; Age at Loss:19
William Martin Savoren, Lance Corporal, USMC; Age at Loss:19
Donald Raymond Bonko, Captain, US Army; Age at Loss:28Thanksgiving Day Casualties, South Vietnam, 24 November 1966
Grady Edward McElroy, Private First Class, US Army; Age at
Loss: 22
William Hixson Hardwick, Private First Class, USMC; Age at Loss: 20
John Neto Rodrigues, Staff Sergeant, US Army, Age at Loss: 36Thanksgiving Day Casualties, South Vietnam, 23 November 1967
Francis John Muraco, Corporal, USMC; Age at Loss: 21
Gary Doyle Roerink, Private First Class, Us Army; Age at Loss: 20
Leonard Leroy Bevels, Sergeant, US Army; Age at Loss: 25Thanksgiving Day Casualties, South Vietnam, 28 November 1968
Laurence E Williams, Private, US Army; Age at Loss: 19
John E Moulden, Specialist Four, US Army, Born 28 November 1945; Age at Loss:23
Lonnie Michael Reeves, Lance Corporal, USMC, Age at Loss:22Thanksgiving Day Casualties, South Vietnam, 27 November 1969
Wylie Clarence King, Corporal, US Army; Age at Loss: 20
Angel Luis Acevedo-Millan, Specialist Four, US Army; Age at Loss: 20
Kenneth James Smolarek, Specialist Four, US Army; Age at Loss: 19Thanksgiving Day Casualties, South Vietnam, 26 November 1970
Samuel Lee Gantt, Sergeant, US Army; Age at Loss: 25
Ralph Howell, Staff Sergeant, US Army; Age at Loss: 26
Philip Eugene Richard, Chief Warrant Officer, US Army; Age at Loss: 21Thanksgiving Day Casualties, South Vietnam, 25 November 1971
James Richard Thomas, Technical Sergeant, US Air Force; Age at Loss: 28
Thomas Dean Prose, Airman First Class, US Air Force; Age at Loss: 20
John William George, Captain, US Air Force; Age at Loss: 26
Category: Geezer Alert!
Profound, enlightening and educational. Thank you!
Very appropriate. Thanks for posting this.
Might I add one name to the list? We have a current POW who could use our prayers, among other things. Let us not forget him, or let those who appear to have forgotten him get away with it:
Bowe Bergdahl, captured in Afghanistan.
For me Thanksgiving in the Army was something that I never celebrated with my relations, but the Army is a family in its own right, and no matter where I was or what was happening the Army always went to great lengths to remind me that I was still with my family.
meant more than I can ever explain to people
I can t say that their passing was related to Thanksgiving, however, the sacrifice that they gave us was more than anything I ve ever been able to come to terms with.
SSG Johnathan Manzingo-deployed with the 1/285th ARBN in 2007 and upon their return in 2009, he was diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Being under active duty at the time, he was unable to return home and continued to receive treatment at Ft Hood. Unfortunately,three months ago he lost his battle. He was the NCOs NCO, always willing to help, good guy to take your problems with, and never, never would ever ask you to do anything he had not done himself or would do with you.
SPC. Christan Stapleton-was an organ donor. She was the selfless type, and definitely embodied the Selfless Service value that the Army strives for in all its soldiers. Unfortunately, a month ago she was involved in a fatal collision on a motorcycle and she succumbed to her wounds. She will forever be remembered.
RIP-and to those that cannot be here, words will never explain what they meant to me.
Welcome Home Brother, May we all bow our heads and say a prayer for those who have and are serving to protect this country, especially for those that have given the last full ounce of devotion to us and our country.
Zero. Thanks for giving them a place of prominence. Happy Thanksgiving to you and to all here.
Front and center is a good place for our fallen brothers.
What everyone said. Tomorrow, I’ll raise a glass to friends gone too soon, and say a quiet prayer for all those who serve.
Thanksgiving Day Deaths, OEF/OIF
Nov 27, 2003
SGT Sweet, Thomas,23y/o, Iraq
Nov 25, 2004
PFC Cantafio, Ryan, 22y/o, Iraq
L.CPL Holmes, Jeffery, 20y/o, Iraq
CPL Marku, Gentian, 22y/o, Iraq
Nov 24, 2005
SFC Pearrow, Eric, 40y/o, Iraq
PFC Delgado, Marc, 21y/o, Iraq
SSG Reynolds, Steven, 32y/o, Iraq
SPC Villanueva, Javier, 25y/o, Iraq
Nov 23, 2006
CPL Goodiron, Nathan, 25y/o, Afghanistan
SFC Priestap, James, 39y/o, Iraq
Nov 22, 2007
SSG Martin, Jonathan, 33y/o, Iraq
Nov 25, 2010
1LT Donnelly, William, 27y/o, Afghanistan
This is a group whose sacrifice is still impacting their family everytime they get together at Thanksgiving.
We buried a good friend of mine the day after Thanksgiving in 1969.
Roger Dale Alexander kia about a week earlier.
We came in from the field for Thanksgiving, 1971 and never EVER did fresh, hot and real FOOD look, smell and taste so deliciously GOOD.
‘
D Co., 2/502, 101 Abn (Ambl)
Welcome back.