What does Memorial Day mean to you? When I was a child it meant only a week more of school and the beginning of camping season. At that age I never really understood why my dad treated it as a solemn day. When I was a teen, and in the Civil Air Patrol, I marched in parades as a member of a color guard. To me, it was just a parade.
In August of 1985 I joined the U.S. Army. I was 18 and just out of high school. I did my basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. On December 12, 1985, my training complete, I got on a plane in Madison, Wisconsin, after a very short leave, and left my home for Germany. About the time my odyssey started, the journey for 248 members of the 101st Airborne Division and 8 crew members ended in Gander, Newfoundland. They were returning to Ft. Campbell, Kentucky, after six months of peacekeeping duty in the Sinai peninsula. They never got home—their plane went down on take-off a half-mile from the runway.
In June of 1987, I had just come off a demolitions range in Hohenfels, West Germany, where I was being trained on how to use the M-180 Cratering Demolition Kit.
Behind us was the 58th Engineering Company, who were there to go through the same training that we had just completed. The five-ton dump truck we were riding in had gone no more that a mile down the road when we heard an explosion and saw a cloud of smoke. We all knew something had gone wrong, that it was far too soon for that to happen.
When we got back to the barracks, our first sergeant looked very relieved. He had heard the medivac calls on radio for the demolitions range we had just left. He thought it had been our platoon involved in a horrific accident. As we were scheduled for field exercises the next day it was another week before we found out what happened—a safety device on the M-180 failed, killing three and wounding 12 members of the 58th Engineer Company.
Just a little over two years after the Gander crash, I arrived at Ft. Campbell, Kentucky, and was assigned to the 101st Airborne Division, 326th Engineer Battalion, Bravo Company. My platoon was assigned to the 3/502 Infantry, the same battalion that lost so many just two short years before. The wounds were still deep, and they were fresh. The memorial on post with one sapling planted for each of those lost that day, 256 in all, was still new. The trees were still young.
Last year, I returned to Ft. Campbell for a reunion. It was my first time back on post in 24 years. My old barracks had been torn down, the Air Assault School where I earned my wings had been moved to the field where I was taught STABO operations in Rappelmaster school so many years ago. The 256 saplings around the Gander memorial are now mature trees. Seeing them, and that memorial 24 years later, brought a tear to my eye.
Over the years I have come to understand why my father became so solemn on Memorial Day. My dad was a World War II Navy vet. While he did not see action himself, he did know men who did, and some who did not come home. Men and women die in service to our country in times of relative peace as well as in times of war. On this Memorial Day, while a wide swath of Americans are celebrating a three-day weekend with cookouts, I will bow my head and remember those who have lost their lives serving their country during times of war and times of peace.
We have wars because old men with power have a need to send young men to battle to prove their might. It makes the old men rich and the young men either dead or scarred for life. Those who are scarred may or may not have visible wounds, but they are there—in some cases, the dead are the lucky ones. I long for a day when no more men and women are added to the rolls of honored dead on Memorial Day. A time when PTSD is but a historical footnote in a medical textbook. A time when mankind can finally live in peace.
Below the fold is a list of some of those I choose to remember this Memorial Day.
ALABAMA
Davis, Jimmy D , Spec 4 - Aliceville , Al
Highfill, Joe W , Pvt 2 - Daleville , Al
Hughes, Frank J , Staff Sgt - North Carrollton , Al
Simmons, Carl N , Pfc - Banks , Al
Turner, Vincent L , Staff Sgt - Huntsville , Al
Winston, James A , Staff Sgt - West Birmingham , Al
Wright, John R , Spec 4 - Daleville , Al
ARKANSAS
Kidd, Timothy Linn , Sgt - North Little Rock , Ar
Long, Paul D , 1st Lt , 24 , Pine Bluff , Ar
Stewart, Randy S , Sgt , 21 , Texarkana , Ar
Thomas, Randall K , Sgt , 31 , Springdale , Ar
Walker, Guy W , Spec 4 , 22 , Jacksonville , Ar
ARIZONA
Barber, Daniel Mark , Spec 4 , 24 , Flagstaff , Az
Danielson, Thomas , Spec 4 - Mesa , Az
Hobbs, Kevin S , Pfc - Flagstaff , Az
McArdle, Paul A , Sgt - Winslow , Az
CALIFORNIA
Andreoff, Steven A , Staff Sgt - Antioch , Ca
Burdette, James D , Spec 4 - Lancaster , Ca
Carter, Gregory T , Pfc - Covina , Ca
Chaddock, Garett R , Pfc - Lake Isabella, Ca , Ca
Gonzales, Michael J , Spec 4 - La Puenta , Ca
Graham, Kelly O , Pvt 2 - San Jose , Ca
Jackson, Adrian D , Pvt 1 - Los Angeles , Ca
Millett, John M , Sgt - Idyllwild , Ca
Padgett, Gary W , Spec 4 - Vista , Ca
Pevey, Terry R , Spec 4 - Port Heuneme , Ca
Spears, James M , Spec 4 - Costa Mesa , Ca
Wallace, Brian E , Pfc - Canoga Park , Ca
COLORADO
Serna, Ernest W , Pvt 2 , 20 , Denver , Co
Sloan, Matthew S , Spec 4 - Lakewood , Co
Stephens, Dane , Spec 4 , 19 , Littleton , Co
Tucker, Thomas N , Pvt 2 - Goldon , Co
DELAWARE
Haller, Brian D , Capt - Wilmington , De
Kuehn, John M , Spec 4 , 22 , Wilmington , De
FLORIDA
Beer, Edward M , Pvt 2 - Orlando , Fl
Brasfield, Tony L , Spec 4 - Panama City , Fl
Britt, George A , Spec 4 - Lighthouse Pt , Fl
Bury, David A , Pfc - Panama City , Fl
Ferguson, James A , Sgt - Orange Park , Fl
Graham, Thomas Lyle , Spec 4 - Jacksonville Beach , Fl
Hart, Robert B , 2nd Lt - Miami , Fl
Hobbs, Donald Ernest , Spec 4 - Palm Harbor , Fl
Jeffcoat, Marvin A , Lt Col - Tallahassee , Fl
Kee, Jeff S , Spec 4 - Pensacola , Fl
Kiser, Bruce E , Pfc - Jacksonville , Fl
Schmoyer, Ricky A , Spec 4 - St Petersburg , Fl
Smith, Thomas E , Pfc - Brooksville , Fl
GEORGIA
Bauman, Eric Joseph , Spec 4 , 19 , Warner Robins , Ga
Benson, Wyatt David , Spec 4 , 19 , Forsyth , Ga
Lawrence, Michael R , Maj - Atlanta , Ga
Lynch, Benjamin R , Pfc - Macon , Ga
Searcy, Blanchard T , Pfc - Sylvester , Ga
Smith, Clinton D , Pvt 2 - Conyers , Ga
Word, Virginia Ruth , Spec 4 , 20 , Warner Robins , Ga
IOWA
Mullins, Steven W , Spec 4 - Des Moines , Ia
Phillips, Alvin , Pvt 2 - Oakaloosa , Ia
IDAHO
Bradshaw, Steven J, , Spec 4 , 20 , Boise , Id
Crawford, Paul M , Pvt 2 - Nampa , Id
ILLINOIS
Craig, Michael E , Pfc - University Park , Il
Gayton, Anthony Lovell , Spec 4 - Robbins , Il
Goree, Joseph W , Pvt 2 - Edwardsville , Il
Lundgren, David C , Spec 4 - Chicago , Il
Richardson, Gregory W , Pfc - Sterling , Il
Wilburn, Darnell , Staff Sgt - Chicago , Il
Witmer, John B , 2nd Lt - North Brook , Il
INDIANA
Arvin, Roger D , Spec 4 , 27 , Evansville , In
Dumpert, Brian Lee , Sgt - Marion , In
Mayhew, Ronald C , Sgt , 24 , Indianapolis , In
Miller, Larry G , Sgt - Loogootee , In
Miller, Timothy E , Spec 4 - Noblesville , In
Murray, Michael , Sgt - Washington , In
Robertson, Vergil L Jr , Sgt - Spencer , In
KANSAS
Banks, Bobby L , Spec 4 - Junction City , Ks
Yeargan, Cary T , Pfc - Newton , Ks
KENTUCKY
Black, Hasland O , Cmd. Sgt - Lafayette , Ky
Bradley, John T Jr , Spec 4 - Winchester , Ky
Carter, Troy G , Capt , 40 , Fort Campbell , Ky
Cruz-Salgado, Francisco , Pvt 4 - Fort Campbell , Ky
Englebert, Christopher , Spec 4 - Louisville , Ky
Grala, Douglas F , Staff Sgt - Fort Campbell , Ky
Manion, Edward John , Capt , 30 , Fort Campbell , Ky
Martin, Thomas L , Pvt 2 - Louisville , Ky
Moore, Samuel Theodore Jr , Staff Sgt - Fort Campbell , Ky
Nelson, Donald C , Sgt 1st Class - Hammond Hts , Ky
Nichols, Richard Sidney , Sgt - Fort Campbell , Ky
Owens, Gregory Allen , Pvt , 21 , Louisville , Ky
Palmisano, Jeffrey R , Sgt - Fort Campbell , Ky
Parris, Rudy , CW3 - Hopkinsville , Ky
Phillips, James D Jr , Sgt - Fort Campbell , Ky
Powell, Barry C , 1st Lt - Madisonville , Ky
Rahr, Michael R , Spec 4 - Fort Campbell , Ky
Robinson, Thomas E Jr , Sgt - Fort Campbell , Ky
Scott, Gary L , Spec 4 - Oak Grove , Ky
Sellner, Timothy D , Staff Sgt - Fort Campbell , Ky
Smith, Rex V , Sgt 1st Class - Fort Campbell , Ky
Smith, Scott John , Spec 4 - Louisville , Ky
Stone, Earl C , CW2 - Fort Campbell , Ky
Thompson, Danny C , Sgt - Fort Campbell , Ky
Witt, Kevin Michael , Sgt - Fort Campbell , Ky
LOUISIANA
Alexander, Herbert D , Pfc - Ponchatoula , La
MASSACHUSETTS
Aponte, Ivan R , Spec 4 - Boston , Ma
Gerdes, Scott W , Pfc - Pittsville , Ma
MARYLAND
Duckworth, James Frederick , Staff Sgt - Westernport , Md
Heidecker, David W , Pvt 1 , 21 , Westminster , Md
Hoyer, Robert S , Spec 4 - Pasadena , Md
Stearn, Alexander W , Pfc - Lutherville , Md
Thornton, Christopher G , Sgt - Tacoma Park , Md
Whiteman, Michael L , Spec 4 - Dunkirk , Md
MICHIGAN
Andrews, Danell , Spec 4 , 22 , Detroit , Mi
Guerra, Richardo , Pfc - Ferndale , Mi
Karadsheh, Ibrahim , Sgt , 25 , Warren , Mi
Parsons, Thomas F , Sgt - Washington , Mi
Wisson, Theodore M , Spec 4 - Port Huron , Mi
Wyn, Robert , Pfc - Sherwood , Mi
Ziegler, Cathleen M , Spec 4 - Novi , Mi
MINNESOTA
Kubic, Mark R , Staff Sgt , 25 , Brooklyn Park , Mn
Nolan, Michael T , Pfc - Plymouth , Mn
MISSOURI
Easley, Brian E , Sgt - Independence , Mo
Stack, Michael Shayen , Spec 4 - St Louis , Mo
Straub, Gary L , Pfc - Benton , Mo
Williamson, James H , Spec 4 - Waynesville , Mo
MISSISSIPPI
Holliman, Jerry W , Staff Sgt - Coldwater , Ms
Staten, David C , Pfc - Pontotoc , Ms
MONTANA
Wallace, Mark E , Pfc - Bozeman , Mt
NORTH CAROLINA
Arrowood, Stuart N , Pvt 2 - Fayetteville , NC
Buchanan, Gregory A , Pvt 2 - Bakersville , NC
Carter, Mark E , Sgt - Fayetteville , NC
Edmonds, Kyle L , Capt , 28 , New Hill , NC
Johnson, Jerrin Andrea , Pvt 1 - Fayetteville , NC
Johnson, Ravon Leroy , Staff Sgt - Eaton , NC
Morgan, Lindale , Pfc - Enfield , NC
Perry, Vickie S , Pvt 2 - Enfield , NC
Rawls, David L , Pfc - Fayetteville , NC
Shook, James Emerson , Pfc - Fayetteville , NC
Simmons, George Henry , Spec 4 - Wilmington , NC
NEBRASKA
Olson, Robert L , Pfc , 20 , Omaha , Ne
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Eastman, Michael C , Capt - Plymouth , NH
NEW JERSEY
Cordero, Miguel Angel , Sgt - Paterson , NJ
Davis, Thomas E , Staff Sgt - Woodbury , NJ
NEVADA
Bowen, John P , Sgt - Las Vegas , Nv
Mathis, Donald Lee , Pvt 2 - Las Vegas , Nv
NEW YORK
Bostwick, Paul J , Pfc - Binghamton , NY
Brilya, William R , Pvt 2 - Hudson Falls , NY
Campbell, Trevor , Pvt 2 - Brooklyn , NY
Coleman, Bobby Lee , Pfc , 20 , Rochester , NY
Hemingway, Paul C , Sgt - Staten Island , NY
Jennings, Todd Martice , Spec 4 - Yonkers , NY
Nelson, Kenneth J , Pvt 2 - Falconer , NY
Rimiller, Richard D , Pfc - Bloomingdale , NY
Sears, Ronald W , Staff Sgt - Bronx , NY
Stringer, Richard , Spec 4 - Dexter , NY
Thomas, Robert F , Spec 4 - Roslyn , NY
Travis, Theodore , Sgt - Niagara Falls , NY
OHIO
Brady, Darrin P , Pfc - Brunswick , Oh
Caudill, Phillip R , Pvt - Cincinnati , Oh
Daniels, Walter G , Pfc - Columbus , Oh
Harris, Brian D , Pfc - Canton , Oh
Napier, Michael A , Spec 4 - Middletown , Oh
Reasbeck, Patrick S - . , Adena , Oh
Seitz, Frederic C , Pfc - Aurora , Oh
Wilson, Rodger L , Spec 4 - Dayton , Oh
OKLAHOMA
Wolford, Robert Neil II , Sgt - Tulsa , Ok
OREGON
Fuller, Paul Koerner , Cpl - Portland , Or
Hassing, Mark S , Pvt 1 , 20 , Portland , Or
Hull, Jeffrey D , Pfc , 19 , Cornelius , Or
Shultz, Robert D , Pfc - Veneta , Or
Venneri, Steven C , Pfc , 19 , Flagstone , Or
PENNSYLVANIA
Council, Orlando F Jr , Pfc - Philadelphia , Pa
Deckman, Herbert R , Pfc - Steeltown , Pa
Fink, Kevin F , Pvt 2 , 23 , Dayton , Pa
Haugsdahl, Reginald , Spec 4 , 20 , Erie , Pa
Lloyd, William Michael , Pfc , 21 , Philadelphia , Pa
Schremp, Peter E , Sgt , 24 , Pittsburg , Pa
Shipley, Michael D , Spec 4 , 27 , Huntingdon , Pa
Stritch, Scott A , Pvt 2 - Annville , Pa
Thompson, Scott Bryan , Spec 4 , 22 , South Waverly , Pa
Wester, John Charles , Pfc , 19 , Pittsburg , Pa
Wilkins, Franklin R , Pvt 2 , 20 , Shamokin , Pa
RHODE ISLAND
Spearman, Mark , Pvt - Woonsocket , RI
SOUTH CAROLINA
Bittle, Sammy Dale , Pfc - Cheraw , SC
Brown, Johnny L , Pfc - Sumter , SC
Diventura, Joseph L , Cpl , 21 , Summerville , SC
McWhite, Calvin , Spec 4 - Columbia , SC
Ruth, Ray A , Spec 4 - Walterboro , SC
Singleton, Earl , Sgt , 30 , Hugger , SC
Walker, Gregory , Spec 4 - Manning , SC
Ward, Abraham , Sgt 1st Class - Chester , SC
SOUTH DAKOTA
McCleery, Christine M , Spec 4 - Rapid City , SD
TENNESSEE
Avillan, Luis A , 1st Lt - Clarksville , Tn
Brancato, Charles F , Sgt - Clarksville , Tn
Davis, James A , Sgt - Knoxville , Tn
Dixon, Thomas D , Spec 4 - Sequatchie , Tn
Ferguson, Mark W , Spec 4 - Kingsport , Tn
Foskey, Thomas J , Cpl , 22 , Clarksville , Tn
Givens, Gary Lynn , Sgt - Clarksville , Tn
Godsey, David L , Sgt 1st Class - Clarksville , Tn
Harden, Benny J , CW3 , 38 , Clarksville , Tn
Ivy, Herbert Guy , Cpl - Knoxville , Tn
Jennings, Donny K , Staff Sgt - Clarksville , Tn
Jones, Joseph A , Sgt - Knoxville , Tn
King, Robert M , Capt - Clarksville , Tn
Kosh, John K , 1st Lt , 27 , Clarksville , Tn
Lane, Randall A , Spec 4 - Clarksville , Tn
Malone, Jerry W , Staff Sgt - Clarksville , Tn
McCook, Robert F , 1st Sgt - Woodlawn , Tn
McCormick, J Scott , 2nd Lt , 24 , Bristol , Tn
Miller, Dirk A , CW2 , 30 , Clarksville , Tn
Nelson, Steven R , Staff Sgt - Clarksville , Tn
Pafford, Theodore L , Pfc - Clarksville , Tn
Rains, Terry L , Capt , 29 , Clarksville , Tn
Reynolds, Jessey T , Staff Sgt - Jamestown , Tn
Roberts, Wilbur Grant Jr , Staff Sgt , 28 , Clarksville , Tn
Stevens, Kip L , 2nd Lt - Clarksville , Tn
West, Thomas E , Sgt 1st Class - Clarksville , Tn
White, Emery S III , Staff Sgt , late 20's , Clarksville , Tn
Willingham, Richard N , Sgt - Clarksville , Tn
Wooliver, William L , Sgt - Clarksville , Tn
TEXAS
Cartwright, Dennis , Pvt 1 - Silsbee , Tx
Cupples, Troy R , Pfc - Porter , Tx
Gray, Christopher , Spec 4 - Alvarado , Tx
Hardeman, Chester D , Pvt 1 - Dallas , Tx
Hughes, Charles W , Spec 4 - Cleburne , Tx
King, Jerry J , Pfc - Fort Worth , Tx
McCarty, Joey , 1st Lt - Canyon Lake , Tx
Miller, Richard Dean , Staff Sgt - Tyler , Tx
Roberts, Bobby E , Spec 4 - Fort Worth , Tx
Wheeler, Frank C , Spec 4 - Odell , Tx
VIRGINIA
Bowen, Robert , CW3 - Wytheville , Va
Colby, Stephen R , Spec 4 - Colonial Beach , Va
Hansen, William W III , Pfc - Stafford , Va
Kirby, Thomas James , Staff Sgt - Salem , Va
Puntanen, Raimo K Jr , Spec 4 , 20 , Chesapeake , Va
Russell, Ronald C , Pfc - Portsmouth , Va
Vinson, Wayne , Pfc - Chesapeake , Va
WASHINGTON
Kaplin, Robert S , Spec 4 - Gig Harbor , Wa
Lineberry, Donald G , Sgt - Olympia , Wa
Reed, Melvin W , Pvt - Tacoma , Wa
Wood, Lawrence A , Staff Sgt - Everett , Wa
WISCONSIN
Schultz, Keith Mitchell , Pfc , 19 , Schofield , Wi
WEST VIRGINIA
Abrams, Mark Edward , Pfc - Rhodell , WV
Gantzer, Kevin A , Sgt , 22 , Wheeling , WV
Hileman, Thomas T , Pfc , , , Fairmont , WV
Jordan, David A , Pvt 2 , 21 , Winfield , WV
Mollett, James Albert , Sgt , 22 , Kermit , WV
WASHINGTON, DC
Fitch, David , Spec 4 - Washington
GUAM
Nertia, Joseph A , Sgt 1st Class - Tumon
PUERTO RICO
Gonzalez, Roberto , Pfc - Quebradilla
Ocasio, Francisco Jr , Sgt - Juana Diaz