Shawn Patrick Falter, age 25, from Cortland, New York, Cortland county.
Service era: Iraq
Military history: Battery A, 2D Battalion, 377Th Field Artillery, Fort Richardson, Ak
Date of death: Saturday, January 20, 2007
Death details: Hostile; Karbala, Iraq
Source: Department of Defense, Military Times
William Phelps, age 23, from Cortland, New York, Cortland county.
Service era: Vietnam
Date of death: November 23, 1971
Death details: On November 23, 1971, an F-4e Phantom II (tail number 69-7562, call sign “Gunfighter 61”) with a crew of two departed Da Nang Airfield as one of two F-4s on a nighttime escort mission for an AC-119 gunship over Laos. Near the end of the mission, both F-4s were assigned targets on which to expend their ordnance. After the lead F-4 departed the area, “Gunfighter 61” dropped its ordnance and radioed that it was off the target. It then crashed for unknown reasons near the target, producing a large fireball which was seen by the AC-119 crew. No parachutes were observed, and no emergency beeper signals were received. A search and rescue team located the crash site in the Saravan Province of Laos, but could not recover any crew remains.
First Lieutenant William Phelps, who joined the U.S. Air Force from New York, served with the 4th Tactical Fighter Squadron. He was the navigator aboard the Phantom when it crashed, and his remains were not recovered. Subsequent to the incident, and while carried in the status of missing in action (MIA), the U.S. Air Force promoted First Lieutenant Phelps to the rank of Captain (Capt). Today, Captain Phelps is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
Joseph Anthony Cerio, age 22, from Cortland, New York, Cortland county.
Parents: Charles and Margaret Yacavone Cerio
Service era: Vietnam
Schools: Broome County Technical Institute (1969)
Date of death: Friday, May 22, 1970
Death details: Hostile, Cambodia
Cemetery: Saint Mary’s
Source: National Archives, Syracuse Post Standard (1970)
Darrell Aden Cameron, age 23, from Marathon, New York, Cortland county.
Parents: Aden H. Cameron
Service era: Vietnam
Schools: Marathon Central (1964), Broome Tech
Date of death: Saturday, March 28, 1970
Death details: Hostile, South Vietnam
Cemetery: Sylvan Lawn in Greene
Source: National Archives, Post Standard (1970)
Robert Millard Henry, age 21, from New York, Cortland county.
Service era: Korea
Date of death: Saturday, July 11, 1953
Death details: On July 6, 1953, a large Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) unit attacked and overran the U.S. Army outposts on Pork Chop Hill in an attempt to seize whatever territory possible before the impending armistice agreement. After fighting for the position for four days, on July 10, the 7th Infantry Division Commander determined that the CCF disregard for casualties and desire to hold the outpost outweighed the position’s tactical value, and ordered a withdrawal that was eventually completed on July 11. The U.S. never again controlled Pork Chop Hill, preventing thorough recovery efforts for those who were killed or went missing during the fighting. Corporal Robert Millard Henry, who joined the U.S. Army from New York, was a member of Company I, 3rd Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He went missing during the fighting on Pork Chop Hill on July 9. Corporal Henry was never reported as a prisoner of war, and is thought to have fallen during the battle. His remains have not been recovered or identified among those returned to U.S. custody after the war. Today, Corporal Henry is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
Abner C. Hall from New York, Cortland 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 Abner Charles Hall entered the U.S. Army from New York and served with Company B, 1st Battalion, 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. On July 16, 1950, he was assigned to provide cover for a squad attempting to break through the enemy roadblocks. His action enabled his unit to clear the roadblock, but when he attempted to rejoin his unit, he was wounded by enemy small arms fire. He most likely died where he fell, and his body could not be recovered at the time of his loss. He remains unaccounted for. Today, Private First Class Hall is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency