Tag: age 55

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Greene, Harold J.
Army Major General

Harold J. Greene, age 55, from Schenectady, New York.

Spouse: Susan Greene
Children: Matthew and Amelia

Service era: Afghanistan
Military history: Combined Security Transition Command, Afghanistan

Date of death: Tuesday, August 5, 2014
Death details: Died in Kabul, Afghanistan of wounds suffered when his unit was attacked by small arms fire. First general officer killed on the battlefield since the Vietnam War.
Cemetery: Arlington National

Source: Department of Defense, Boston Globe, Military Times

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Debose, Coater B.
Army Sergeant 1st class

Coater B. Debose, age 55, from State Line, Mississippi, Greene county.

Spouse: Juanita Debose
Children: Latravis Debose, Caronica Jackson, Christopher Debose, Nekeshia Raybon, Broderick Debose

Service era: Afghanistan
Military history: 2nd Battalion, 351st Infantry Regiment, 158th Infantry Brigade, 1st Army Division, Shelby, Mississippi. Joined the Alabama Army National Guard in May 1983 and Army Reserves in 2008.

Date of death: Sunday, August 19, 2012
Death details: Died in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan from injuries suffered from smalll arms fire while conducting security force assistance operations when two Afghan policemen opened fire on coalition and Afghan troops.

Source: Department of Defense, Hattiesburg American, Military Times

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Warman, Juanita L.
Army Lieutenant colonel

Juanita L. Warman, age 55, from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Allegheny county. Their last known residence was in Maryland.

Spouse: Philip Warman
Children: Two daughters, three step children

Schools: University of Pittsburgh graduate
Military history: 109th Medical Company, Independence, Missouri.

Date of death: Thursday, November 5, 2009
Death details: Killed by gunshot from a fellow soldier, police said, in an attack at Ft. Hood that left 13 dead and 30 injured.
Cemetery: Arlington National Cemetery

Source: Army, CNN

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Rivera-Vargas, Milton
Army Staff Sergeant

Milton Rivera-Vargas, age 55, from Boqueron, Puerto Rico, Cabo Rojo county.

Service era: Iraq
Military history: Company B, 1St Battalion, 296Th Infantry, Sabana Grande, Pr

Date of death: Thursday, December 8, 2005
Death details: Kalsu, Iraq

Source: Department of Defense, Military Times

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Goossens, Richard M.
Marines Lance Corporal

Richard M. Goossens, age 55, from Racine, Wisconsin.

Spouse: Joan Goossens
Children: Two boys

Service era: Vietnam
Schools: Burlington High (1967), University of Colorado (174, University of Northern Colorado (1976)

Date of death: Friday, September 24, 2004
Death details: Shot several times in Vietnam in 1968. He lived for 36 mores years and required 14 different surgeries. Died at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center from issues related to his wounds

Source: Vietnam Veterans Association, Steamboat Pilot & Today

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Knighten, Floyd George Jr
Army Sergeant

Floyd George Jr Knighten, age 55, from Olla, Louisiana, La Salle county.

Service era: Iraq
Military history: 1087Th Transportation Company, Jena, La 71343

Date of death: Saturday, August 9, 2003
Death details: Scania, Iraq

Source: Department of Defense, Military Times

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Villarreal, Carpio Jr.
Air Force Master sergeant

Carpio Jr. Villarreal, age 55, from San Antonio, Texas, Bexar county. Their last known residence was in 433rd Military Airlift Wing.

Spouse: Sulema Villarreal

Service era: Gulf War

Date of death: Tuesday, August 28, 1990
Death details: He was among nine member of the 433rd Mobility Airlift Wing and four additional personnel who were killed when their C-5A Galaxy crashed shortly after takeoff from Ramstein Air Base, Germany.
Cemetery: San Fernando #2, San Antonio

Source: White House Commission on Remembrance, Department of Defense, Joint Base San Antonio, findagrave.com, Fort Worth Star Telegram (1991)

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King, John V.
Army Major

John V. King, age 55, from Park County Wyoming.

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Tuesday, January 9, 1945
Death details: On December 13, 1944, Japanese forces in the Philippines began the transfer of 1,621 Allied prisoners of war (POWs) to Japan. The POWs were to make the journey aboard transport ships whose harsh conditions and extreme overcrowding led survivors to refer to them as “Hell Ships.” The ships also lacked markings that would distinguish them from any other military target, causing some of them to be attacked by Allied forces who could not identify them as POW transports. On December 14, 1944, Allied aircraft attacked the first ship, the Oryoku Maru, in Subic Bay in the Philippines, killing many Allied POWs who became lost in the water, sank with the ship, or were washed ashore. Survivors of the bombing were put aboard two other ships, the Enoura Maru and the Brazil Maru, to continue on to Japan. During the journey, while anchored in Takao Harbor, Formosa (present-day Taiwan), the Enoura Maru was attacked by Allied aircraft from the USS Hornet (CV-8), killing Allied POWs who were lost in the water, on board the ship, or on the nearby shore. Survivors of the Enoura Maru bombing were loaded onto the Brazil Maru, and reached Japan on January 30, 1945. As a result of these incidents, Allied POWs were lost in the Philippines, at sea between the Philippines and Taiwan, while anchored in Taiwan, at sea between Taiwan and Japan, and in Japan. The attacks on these POW transports ultimately resulted in a series of death notifications from the Japanese government through the International Red Cross (IRC), and some casualties were given up to five different dates of death at various locations during the transfer. Witness accounts from surviving POWs offer detailed information for a handful of casualties, but the specific dates of loss and/or last-known locations for many of these POWs are based on the most recent reported date of death. Major John V. King, who joined the U.S. Army from Wyoming, served with the Headquarters Battery, Harbor Defense of Manila in the Philippines. He was captured by enemy forces during the Japanese invasion of the islands, and interned in the Philippines until December 1944, when he was placed aboard the ship Oryoku Maru for transport to Japan. Records indicate Major King was killed several weeks later in the attack on the Enoura Maru; however, these reports often involve information solely furnished by enemy governments, with some casualties given multiple dates of death. Future research may determine that these reports were inaccurate. Major King’s remains could not be identified following the war, and he is still unaccounted-for Today, Major King is memorialized on the Walls of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

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Wilson, Charles H.
Army Major

Charles H. Wilson, age 55, from New York County New York.

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Tuesday, January 9, 1945
Death details: On December 13, 1944, Japanese forces in the Philippines began the transfer of 1,621 Allied prisoners of war (POWs) to Japan. The POWs were to make the journey aboard transport ships whose harsh conditions and extreme overcrowding led survivors to refer to them as “Hell Ships.” The ships also lacked markings that would distinguish them from any other military target, causing some of them to be attacked by Allied forces who could not identify them as POW transports. On December 14, 1944, Allied aircraft attacked the first ship, the Oryoku Maru, in Subic Bay in the Philippines, killing many Allied POWs who became lost in the water, sank with the ship, or were washed ashore. Survivors of the bombing were put aboard two other ships, the Enoura Maru and the Brazil Maru, to continue on to Japan. During the journey, while anchored in Takao Harbor, Formosa (present-day Taiwan), the Enoura Maru was attacked by Allied aircraft from the USS Hornet (CV-8), killing Allied POWs who were lost in the water, on board the ship, or on the nearby shore. Survivors of the Enoura Maru bombing were loaded onto the Brazil Maru, and reached Japan on January 30, 1945. As a result of these incidents, Allied POWs were lost in the Philippines, at sea between the Philippines and Taiwan, while anchored in Taiwan, at sea between Taiwan and Japan, and in Japan. The attacks on these POW transports ultimately resulted in a series of death notifications from the Japanese government through the International Red Cross (IRC), and some casualties were given up to five different dates of death at various locations during the transfer. Witness accounts from surviving POWs offer detailed information for a handful of casualties, but the specific dates of loss and/or last-known locations for many of these POWs are based on the most recent reported date of death. Major Charles H. Wilson, who entered the U.S. Army from New York, served in the Medical Corps, 205th General Hospital during World War II. He was taken as a POW following the Japanese invasion and interned in the islands until December 1944, when he was put aboard the Oryoku Maru for transport to Japan. Records indicate MAJ Wilson was killed several weeks later in the attack on the Enoura Maru; however, these reports often involve information solely furnished by enemy governments, with some casualties given multiple dates of death. Future research may determine that these reports were inaccurate. Major Wilson’s remains could not be identified following the war, and he is still unaccounted-for. Today, Major Wilson is memorialized on the Walls of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

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Raymond, Fred Luman
Navy Reserves Lieutenant

Fred Luman Raymond, age 55, from Denver, Colorado .

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Friday, December 15, 1944
Death details: On December 13, 1944, Japanese forces in the Philippines began the transfer of 1,621 Allied prisoners of war (POWs) to Japan. The POWs were to make the journey aboard transport ships whose harsh conditions and extreme overcrowding led survivors to refer to them as “Hell Ships.” The ships also lacked markings that would distinguish them from any other military target, causing some of them to be attacked by Allied forces who could not identify them as POW transports. On December 14, 1944, Allied aircraft attacked the first ship, the Oryoku Maru, in Subic Bay in the Philippines, killing many Allied POWs who became lost in the water, sank with the ship, or were washed ashore. Survivors of the bombing were put aboard two other ships, the Enoura Maru and the Brazil Maru, to continue on to Japan. During the journey, while anchored in Takao Harbor, Formosa (present-day Taiwan), the Enoura Maru was attacked by Allied aircraft from the USS Hornet (CV-8), killing Allied POWs who were lost in the water, on board the ship, or on the nearby shore. Survivors of the Enoura Maru bombing were loaded onto the Brazil Maru, and reached Japan on January 30, 1945. As a result of these incidents, Allied POWs were lost in the Philippines, at sea between the Philippines and Taiwan, while anchored in Taiwan, at sea between Taiwan and Japan, and in Japan. The attacks on these POW transports ultimately resulted in a series of death notifications from the Japanese government through the International Red Cross (IRC), and some casualties were given up to five different dates of death at various locations during the transfer. Witness accounts from surviving POWs offer detailed information for a handful of casualties, but the specific dates of loss and/or last-known locations for many of these POWs are based on the most recent reported date of death. Lieutenant Fred Luman Raymond entered the U.S. Navy from Massachusetts and served in the Philippines at the time of the Japanese invasion. He was captured by enemy forces and interned in the Philippines until December 1944, when he was put aboard the ship Oryoku Maru for transport to Japan. Records indicate LT Raymond was killed several weeks later in the attack on the Enoura Maru; however, these reports often involve information solely furnished by enemy governments, with some casualties given multiple dates of death. Future research may determine that these reports were inaccurate. LT Raymond’s remains could not be identified following the war, and he is still unaccounted-for. Today, Lieutenant Raymond is memorialized on the Walls of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Boston Globe (1945)