James Bellew, age 26, from Charlottesville, Virginia, Albemarle county.
Service era: Afghanistan
Schools: University of Virginia
Date of death: Wednesday, March 30, 2022
Death details: Killed in the crash of two HH-60 Blackhawk helicopters at Wright Army Airfield in Georgia
Source: Army Times
Bradley Thomas Arms, age 20, from Charlottesville, Virginia, Charlottesville (City) county.
Service era: Iraq
Military history: C Co, 4Th Ceb, (3D Bn, 1St Mar, Rct-1, 1St Mar Div), Lynchburg, Va
Date of death: Friday, November 19, 2004
Death details: Hostile; Fallujah, Iraq
Source: Department of Defense, Military Times
Wayne Dabney McRay, age 21, from Charlottesville, Virginia, Albemarle county.
Parents: Margaret N. Pace
Service era: Vietnam
Date of death: Saturday, February 14, 1970
Death details: Killed in action
Source: National Archives, Richmond Times Dispatch (1970)
Richard Thomas Carter, age 24, from Charlottesville, Virginia, Charlottesville county.
Parents: Fendel P. Carter
Service era: Vietnam
Date of death: Friday, January 23, 1970
Death details: Killed in action in Vietnam
Source: National Archives, Richmond Times Dispatch (1970)
Robert Hoyt Ruggles, age 21, from Charlottesville, Virginia, Charlottesville county.
Spouse: Linda M. Ruggles
Service era: Vietnam
Date of death: Wednesday, January 21, 1970
Death details: Non-hostile death in Vietnam
Source: National Archives, Associated Press (1970)
Grandville R. Jr. Jones, age 24, from Charlottesville, Virginia .
Parents: Grandville R. Jones
Service era: Vietnam
Date of death: Sunday, December 5, 1965
Cemetery: Arlington National
Source: National Archives, Roanoke Times (1965)
Kenneth Ray Corcoran, age 46, from Charlottesville, Virginia .
Parents: Charles Corcoran and Ethyn Richardson
Service era: Vietnam
Date of death: Wednesday, April 10, 1963
Death details: Killed aboard the atomic submarine Thresher when the ship went missing 220 miles East of Cape Cod, Massachusetts
Source: Associated Press (1963), oneternalpatrol.com, Richmond Times Dispatch (1963)
John Richard Cox, age 22, from Charlottesville, Virginia, Albemarle 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. Pharmacist’s Mate Second Class John R. Cox, who entered the U.S. Navy from Ohio, served with Headquarters Company, 2nd Marine Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division. He was killed in action on November 20, 1943 during the Battle of Tarawa. He was buried on Betio Island, but attempts to locate his remains after the war were unsuccessful. Today, Pharmacist’s Mate Second Class Cox is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency