Decatur Illinois

Tilton, Jesse R.
Army Sergeant

Jesse R. Tilton, age 23, from Decatur, Illinois, Macon county.

Parents: Julie Magana

Service era: Afghanistan
Military history: 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Enlisted April 7, 2006. Bronze Star, Purple Heart.

Date of death: Friday, July 16, 2010
Death details: Died at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Landstuhl, Germany, of wounds sustained July 13, 2010 when insurgents attacked his unit in Kandahar City, Afghanistan with rifle, rocket propelled grenade, and small arms fire. Was mortally wounded while treating fellow paratrooper.

Source: Department of Defense, Fayetteville Observor, Military Times

Gifford, Jonathan Lee Marines Private

Jonathan Lee Gifford, age 30, from Decatur, Illinois, Macon county.

Service era: Iraq
Military history: Hqsvcco, 1St Bn, 2D Mar, 2D Meb, Det A, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

Date of death: Sunday, March 23, 2003
Death details: Hostile; An Nasiriyah, Iraq

Source: Department of Defense

Ashenfelter, Alan Wayne
Marines Lance corporal

Alan Wayne Ashenfelter, age 20, from Decatur, Illinois, Macon county.

Parents: H. Wayne and Mildred Louis Bowers Ashenfelter

Service era: Vietnam
Schools: MacArthur High (1968)

Date of death: Wednesday, August 12, 1970
Death details: Hostile, killed in South Vietnam

Source: National Archives, Decatur Daily Review (1970)

Baum, Michael Edward
Army Private 1st class

Michael Edward Baum, age 21, from Decatur, Illinois, Macon county.

Parents: Bryant J. Baum

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Saturday, July 18, 1970
Death details: Died in South Vietnam from wounds suffered while returning from a combat mission when the personnel carrier he was riding in struck a land mine. He died the following day at a U.S. Army hospital

Source: National Archives, Decatur Daily Review (1970)

Johnson, Marlin James
Army Chief warrant officer

Marlin James Johnson, age 22, from Decatur, Illinois, Macon county.

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Monday, April 20, 1970
Death details: Hostile, died while missing in Cambodia
Cemetery: Graceland

Source: National Archives, Decatur Daily Review (1970)

Whitney, Harley Dairrel
Army Specialist 4

Harley Dairrel Whitney, age 20, from Decatur, Illinois, Macon county.

Parents: James and Nadleain Parker Whitney
Spouse: Married

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Monday, March 2, 1970
Death details: Non-hostile in South Vietnam

Source: Library of Virginia, Richmond; Dacatur Review (1970)

Vance, Asa E.
Army Private 1st Class

Asa E. Vance, age 18, from Decatur, Illinois, Macon county.

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Saturday, December 2, 1950
Death details: He was reported missing in action Dec. 2, 1950, in the vicinity of the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea, when his unit was attacked by enemy forces. Following the battle, his remains could not be recovered. A summit in 2018 between President Donald Trump and North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un led to North Korea handing over 55 boxes. His remains were identified in 2019
Cemetery: Sprinfield, Illinois (2020)

Source: National Archives, News Channel 20, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Schuerman, Otto Eugene
Navy Reserves Ensign

Otto Eugene Schuerman from Decatur, Illinois, Macon county.

Parents: Marie Rose Schuerman

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

Bell, Hershel Homer
Navy Fire controlman 2nd class

Hershel Homer Bell, age 21, from Decatur, Illinois, Macon county.

Parents: Ira N. Bell

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Sunday, December 7, 1941
Death details: Killed aboard the USS Arizona. Remains not recovered.
Cemetery: Tablets of the Missing at Honolulu Memorial

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Chicago Tribune (1942)

Conlin, Bernard Eugene
Navy Seaman 2nd class

Bernard Eugene Conlin, age 18, from Decatur, Illinois, Macon county.

Parents: Rosa Conlin

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Sunday, December 7, 1941
Death details: Killed aboard the USS Arizona

Source: National Archives, Decatur Daily Review (1942)

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