Jonathan Jose Santos, age 22, from Bellingham, Washington, Whatcom county.
Service era: Iraq
Military history: B Co, 9Th Psychological Operations Bn,4Th Psyop Group, Fort Bragg, Nc 28307
Date of death: Friday, October 15, 2004
Death details: Hostile; Karabilah, Iraq
Source: Department of Defense, Military Times
Peter G. Oswald, age 41, of Bellingham Washington, Whatcom County
Service era: Iraq
Parents: Harold and Dorothy May Oswald
Date of death: Tuesday, August 27, 2002
Death details: Died during a fall from a US Army UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter while using a standard fast roping technique
Source: U.S. Navy
James Joseph III Quinn, age 20, from Bellingham, Washington, Whatcom county.
Parents: James J. Quinn
Service era: Vietnam
Schools: Bellingham High
Date of death: Saturday, October 17, 1970
Death details: Non-hostile death
Source: National Archives, Bellingham Herald (1970)
Alan Michael Tanguay, age 19, from Whatcom County Bellingham, Washington .
Parents: Roland B. Tanguay
Service era: Vietnam
Date of death: Thursday, March 10, 1966
Death details: Killed in action in Vietnam
Source: National Archives, Associated Press (1966)
John Everett Higman, age 20, from Whatcom County Bellingham, Washington .
Parents: Thomas Higman
Service era: Vietnam
Schools: Bellingham High graduate
Military history: Company C, 7th Calvary, 1st Air Calvary Division
Date of death: Monday, November 15, 1965
Death details: Killed in action in Vietnam
Cemetery: Greenacres Memorial Park
Source: National Archives, Bellingham Herald (1965)
Gerald Louis Weimers from Bellingham, Washington, Whatcom county.
Parents: Mrs. Mary Elvira Anderson
Service era: World War II
Date of death: Monday, December 18, 1944
Death details: He was aboard the destroyer USS Hull as it operated as part of the Fast Carrier Strike Force in the Philippine Sea. On December 17, 1944, the Hull was participating in refueling operations when the ships of its fueling group were engulfed by Typhoon Cobra. The Hull lost its ability to steer amid the enormous waves and began taking on water. The Hull eventually took on too much water to stay afloat and rolled and sank shortly before noon, on December 18. Sixty-two crew members were rescued, but a little more than two-hundred crew members were lost in the sinking.
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
Walter Vernon Sutherland, age 25, from Bellingham, Washington, Whatcom county.
Service era: World War II
Date of death: Saturday, November 20, 1943
Death details: From November 20 through 23, 1943, the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Navy conducted a large-scale amphibious assault on the Japanese-held atoll of Tarawa as part of Operation Galvanic, the Allied capture of the Gilbert Islands. Located 2,500 miles southwest of Hawaii, Tarawa was a crucial stepping stone in the planned U.S. offensive across the central Pacific toward Japan. The Japanese garrison on Tarawa’s main island of Betio was well-entrenched with hundreds of bunkers and gun positions behind formidable beach obstacles. The first wave of Marines approaching the shore encountered lower-than-expected tides, forcing them to leave their landing craft on the reef and wade the hundreds of yards to the beach under intense enemy fire. The heaviest number of U.S. casualties were suffered during this phase of the landing. Eventually, rising tides allowed U.S. warships to maneuver closer to shore and support the troops with effective naval gunfire. More Marines landed on the second day, launching attacks inland from the beaches and seizing the Japanese airfield on the island. However, the enemy launched vicious counterattacks and two more days of intense fighting were needed to secure Betio. The last enemy strongpoints were taken on the morning of November 23. The fighting on Betio cost the Marines nearly 3,000 casualties but enabled U.S. forces to press further across the Pacific and yielded valuable tactical lessons that reduced U.S. losses in future amphibious landings. Sergeant Walter Vernon Sutherland joined the U.S. Marine Corps from Washington and was a member of Headquarters and Service Company, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, which took part in the Battle of Tarawa. On November 20, 1943, he was killed in action and buried in Cemetery #11 on Tarawa. However, after the war his remains were not located, and he is still unaccounted-for. Today, Sergeant Sutherland is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
Richard Esh Jr. Cade from Whatcom County Bellingham, Washington .
Parents: Richard Esh Cade Sr.
Service era: World War II
Date of death: Sunday, December 7, 1941
Death details: Killed aboard the USS Arizona. Remains not recovered.
Cemetery: Honolulu Memorial
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Bellingham Herald (1942)
Charles Starkovich, age 25, from Whatcom County Bellingham, Washington .
Parents: Anna Starkovich
Service era: World War II
Date of death: Sunday, December 7, 1941
Death details: Killed aboard the USS Arizona. Remains not recovered.
Source: Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Bellingham Herald (1945)
Joseph Jr. Starkovich, age 26, from Whatcom County Bellingham, Washington .
Parents: Anna Starkovich
Service era: World War II
Date of death: Sunday, December 7, 1941
Death details: Killed aboard the USS Arizona. Remains not recovered.
Source: National Archives, Bellingham Herald (1945)