Girdano, Michael Robert
Army 2nd lieutenant

Michael Robert Girdano, age 23, from Apollo, Pennsylvania, Armstrong county.

Parents: Robert and Cynthia (Ferkatch) Girdano

Service era: Iraq – Operation Enduring Freedom
Schools: Apollo Ridge High (2003)
Military history: Company A, Special Troops Battalion, 3d Brigade, 1 Id, Fort Hood, Tx

Date of death: Friday, August 1, 2008
Death details: Hostile, died in Asadabad, Afghanistan
Cemetery: Plum Creek Cemetery, Pittsburgh

Source: Department of Defense, Military Times, Pittsburgh Post Gazette

Waltenbaugh, Joshua Elliot
Army Private 1st class

Joshua Elliot Waltenbaugh, age 19, from Ford City, Pennsylvania, Armstrong county.

Spouse: Married

Service era: Iraq – Operation Iraqi Freedom
Schools: Lenape Technical School (2007)
Military history: Hht, 4th Squadron, 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Hood, Texas

Date of death: Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Death details: Taji, Iraq

Source: Department of Defense, Military Times

Coleman, Bradli Nathaniel
Army Private 1st class

Bradli Nathaniel Coleman, age 19, from Ford City, Pennsylvania, Armstrong county.

Service era: Iraq – Operation Iraqi Freedom
Military history: Hhc, 3d Brigade Combat Team, 2d Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Washington

Date of death: Sunday, May 30, 2004
Death details: Hostile, died in Baghdad, Iraq

Source: Department of Defense, Military Times

Booker, Stevon Alexander
Army Staff sergeant

Stevon Alexander Booker, age 34, from Apollo, Pennsylvania, Armstrong county.

Parents: Freddie Jackson

Service era: Iraq – Operation Iraqi Freedom
Military history: Company A, 1st Battalion, 64th Armor, Fort Stewart Georgia 31314

Date of death: Saturday, April 5, 2003
Death details: Hostile, died April 5, 2003 in Baghdad, Iraq
Cemetery: Fort Stewart training range named in his honor in 2019

Source: Department of Defense, Fox 28 Media, Military Times

Atherton, Steven
Army Specialist

Steven Atherton, age 25, from Dayton, Pennsylvania, Armstrong county.

Parents: Harry L.
Spouse: Brenda McIntire Atherton
Children: Aaron Atherton, 6 months

Service era: Gulf War
Schools: Dayton Junior/Senior High (1984)

Date of death: Monday, February 25, 1991
Death details: Killed by SCUD missle attack.

Source: White House Commission on Remembrance, Gulf War Chronicles, Indiana Gazette (1991)

Whiteman, William Earl II
Army Captain

William Earl II Whiteman, age 27, from Armstrong County Rural Valley, Pennsylvania .

Parents: Herbert W. Breslin

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Tuesday, October 19, 1971
Death details: Non-hostile, died in South Vietnam.

Source: National Archives, Associated Press (1971)

Schultz, Dale Edward
Army Specialist 4

Dale Edward Schultz from Freeport, Pennsylvania, Armstrong county.

Parents: Charles E. Schultz

Service era: Vietnam
Schools: Freeport High (1969)
Military history: 14th Infantry at An Khi, South Vietnam

Date of death: Wednesday, December 23, 1970
Death details: Hostile, died in South Vietnam.

Source: National Archives, Simpson’s Leader Times, Associated Press (1970)

Mangus, Arlie Robert
Army Sergeant

Arlie Robert Mangus from Kittanning, Pennsylvania, Armstrong county.

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Monday, November 2, 1970
Death details: On November 2, 1970, the landing craft utility (LCU) 63 departed Da Nang carrying a crew of eleven on a cargo mission to Tan My, South Vietnam. On November 3, helicopter pilots saw the craft capsized, south of Tan My port. An initial search of the craft found no sign of any if its crew. On November 6, the remains of one of LCU 63’s crew members were found in a life jacket near Cu Lao Island. Further attempts to salvage LCU 63 and locate its crew failed to locate any survivors or remains. Eventually, the remains of another member of the LCU 63’s crew were located and identified; however, the other nine men are still unaccounted for. Sergeant Arlie Robert Mangus, who joined the U.S. Army from Pennsylvania, was a member of 329th Transportation Company (Heavy Boat), 5th Transportation Command. He was a crew member aboard LCU 63 when it capsized, and was lost with during the incident. His remains were not recovered. Today, Sergeant Mangus is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. Based on all information available, DPAA assessed the individual’s case to be in the analytical category of Non-recoverable.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Hemke, David Lee
Army Private 1st Class

David Lee Hemke, age 20, from Apollo, Pennsylvania, Armstrong county.

Parents: Charles L. Hemke

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Saturday, January 31, 1970
Death details: Non-hostile, died in South Vietnam.

Source: National Archives, Pittsburgh Press (9170)

Butz, Clair Bernard
Army Sergeant 1st Class

Clair Bernard Butz, age 33, from Ford City, Pennsylvania, Armstrong county.

Parents: Frederick A. and Germaine (Warnter) Butz
Spouse: Ciarissa (Montgomery) Butz
Children: Kimberly

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Tuesday, January 6, 1970
Death details: Killed when a hand grenade accidentally exploded in a camp near Bien-hoa, Vietnam
Cemetery: Saint Mary’s

Source: National Archives, Simpson Leader Times (1970)