Promote & Preserve stories of U.S. fallen soldiers/sailors
Elder Fernandes, age 23, from Brockton, Massachusetts.
Parents: Ailiana Fernandes
Service era: Afghanistan
Military history: Fort Hood
Date of death: Wednesday, August 19, 2020
Death details: He was reported missing Aug. 19. His body was found weeks later in Temple, Texas. Medical examiner ruled suicide.
Cemetery: Cemetery in Brockton
Source: Associated Press, New York Post
Keith D. Benson, age 27, from Brockton, Massahusetts, Plymouth county.
Service era: Afghanistan
Schools: Norwood High (2002)
Military history: 2nd Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 172nd Infantry Brigade, Grafenwoehr, Germany.
Date of death: Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Death details: Died in Paktika Province, Afghanistan. No information provided by Department of Defense.
Source: Department of Defense, Patriot Ledger, Military Times
Anthony Palermo, age 26, from Brockton, Massachusetts, Plymouth county.
Service era: Iraq
Military history: Hhc, 1St Battalion, 18Th Infantry, Schweinfurt, Gm
Date of death: Friday, April 6, 2007
Death details: Hostile; Baghdad, Iraq
Source: Department of Defense, Massachusetts Soliders Legacy Fund
Bruce Edward Martin, age 18, from Brockton, Massachusetts, Plymouth county.
Service era: Vietnam
Date of death: Sunday, February 22, 1970
Death details: Hostile, South Vietnam
Source: National Archives
William David Frawley, age 27, from Brockton, Massachusetts, Plymouth county.
Service era: Vietnam
Date of death: March 1, 1966
Death details: On March 1, 1966, an F-4 Phantom II (bureau number 150443, call sign “Taproom 310”) carrying two crew members launched from the USS Ranger (CVA 61) for an armed reconnaissance mission along the North Vietnam coast. It was one of a flight of three aircraft, and the fighters encountered deteriorating weather. After reversing their flight course, visual contact was not established with “Taproom 310,” and the aircraft was not heard from again. The crew of the second aircraft in the flight noticed a surface to air missile (SAM) warning, but no SAMs were seen or reported as fired. Search and rescue teams found no sign of the missing “Taproom 310” or its crew.
Lieutenant William David Frawley, who joined the U.S. Navy from Massachusetts, served with Fighter Squadron 143 aboard the Ranger. He was the pilot of this Phantom when it disappeared, and his remains were not recovered.
Source: National Archives, Military Times, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
John Russell Johnson, age 23, from Brockton, Massachusetts, Plymouth county.
Spouse: Eleanor Louise Johnson
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, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency