Promote & Preserve stories of U.S. fallen soldiers/sailors
David George Ries, age 29, from Vancouver, Washington, Clark county.
Service era: Iraq
Military history: H&S Co, 6Th Esb, (Cssb-1, Cssg-11, 1St Fssg), 4Th Fssg, Portland, Or
Date of death: Monday, November 8, 2004
Death details: Hostile; West Of Fallujah, Iraq
Source: Department of Defense, Military Times
Kane Michael Funke, age 20, from Vancouver, Washington, Clark county.
Service era: Iraq
Military history: E Co, 2D Bn, 7Th Mar, Rct-7, 1St Mar Div, Camp Pendleton, Ca
Date of death: Friday, August 13, 2004
Death details: Hostile; Al Anbar Province, Iraq
Source: Department of Defense, Military Times
Cedric Eugene Bruns, age 22, from Vancouver, Washington, Clark county.
Parents: Peter Bruns and Debbie Bruns
Spouse: None
Children: None
Service era: Iraq
Schools: Prairie High graduate
Military history: Engrco, 6Th Engrsptbn, 4Th Fssg, Eugene, Or
Date of death: Friday, May 9, 2003
Death details: killed in a non-hostile vehicle accident in Kuwait. He was driving a pickup truck that was struck on the driver side by another vehicle.
Source: Department of Defense, U.S. Navy, Military Times
David Wallace Baker, age 19, from Ridgefield, Washington, Clark county.
Service era: Vietnam
Date of death: Friday, September 18, 1970
Death details: Body recovered
Source: National Archives
Patrick Dennis Kadow, age 20, from Vancouver, Washington, Clark county.
Parents: John Kadow
Service era: Vietnam
Schools: Evergreen High graduate
Military history: Company H, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine, 1st Marine Division
Date of death: Friday, June 19, 1970
Death details: Killed by an enemy mine while on patrol near Da Nang.
Source: National Archives, Vancouver Columbian (1970)
Michael James Wainwright, age 20, from Vancouver, Washington, Clark county.
Parents: Ronald Wainwright
Service era: Vietnam
Schools: Columbia River High (1969)
Date of death: Sunday, March 29, 1970
Death details: Body recovered
Source: National Archives, The Columbian (1970)
Richard August Hostikka, age 28, from Brush Prairie, Washington, Clark county.
Spouse: Barbara A. Hostikka
Service era: Vietnam
Date of death: Monday, March 2, 1970
Death details: Non-hostile death
Source: National Archives, Atlanta Constitution (1970)
William Ryan Keenan, age 27, from Washington, Clark county.
Service era: Korea
Date of death: Wednesday, November 1, 1950
Death details: During the last week of October 1950, Republic of Korea (ROK) Army forces under the control of the U.S. Eighth Army were advancing deep in North Korean territory, approaching the Yalu River on the Chinese-Korean border. Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) struck back in a surprise attack, engaging the ROK 1st and 6th Divisions near Unsan, some sixty miles north of Pyongyang. The U.S. 1st Cavalry Division, with the 8th Cavalry Regiment in the lead, was rushed forward to reinforce the ROK units in the Unsan area. On November 1, the regiment’s 1st Battalion took up positions north of Unsan, while the 2nd Battalion moved to guard the Nammyon River valley west of town, and the 3rd Battalion was placed in reserve at the valley’s southern end. Private First Class William Ryan Keenan joined the U.S. Army from Washington and was a member of Company A of the 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. On November 1, 1950, Company A was near Unsan when the 1st Battalion came under intense attack and were forced to withdraw. A member of Company A who survived the battle reported that Private First Class Keenan was killed just prior to the withdrawal and fell into the defensive position he had dug during the battle. Conditions on the battlefield would have precluded the recovery of his body. He was never reported as a prisoner of war, and his remains were not identified among those returned to the U.S. following the war. Today, Private First Class Keenan is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
Robert Duane Quatier from Unknown, Washington, Clark county.
Service era: Korea
Date of death: Sunday, July 16, 1950
Death details: On the evening of July 15, 1950, the U.S. Army’s 19th Infantry Regiment held defensive positions along the south bank of the Kum River. As dusk approached, North Korean People’s Army (NKPA) tanks appeared on the opposite shore and began firing on the U.S. positions. Although U.S. troops repulsed the attacks that evening, the next morning the NKPA crossed the river and launched a major attack against the 19th Regiment. As the regiment began withdrawing south to Taejon, the North Koreans pushed deep into their defensive lines and set up a roadblock en route to Taejon. When retreating American convoys could not break through the roadblock, soldiers were forced to leave the road and attempt to make their way in small groups across the countryside. Of the 900 soldiers in the 19th Infantry when the Battle of Kum River started, only 434 made it to friendly lines. Private First Class Robert Duane Quatier entered the U.S. Army from Washington and served with Company A, 1st Battalion, 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. He went missing on July 16, 1950, during the Battle of Kum River, while his unit was attempting to withdraw through an enemy roadblock outside Taejon. Specific details regarding his loss, however, are unknown. He was never reported to be a prisoner of war, and his remains were never recovered or identified. Today, Private First Class Quatier is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
Wyman Lee Peters, age 20, from Vancouver, Washington, Clark county.
Parents: Jessie b. King
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. Private First Class Wyman Lee Peters entered the U.S. Marine Corps from Iowa and served in Company K, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division. He was killed in action on November 20, 1943, during the Battle of Tarawa. Private First Class Peters was buried on Betio in Main Marine Cemetery, Cemetery #33, but his remains were not identified among those disinterred from the island after the war. Today, Private First Class Peters is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency