Promote & Preserve stories of U.S. fallen soldiers/sailors
Raymond Lopez, age 30, from Fresno, California.
Parents: Vidalinda Thompkins and Edmond Lopez Jr.
Spouse: None
Service era: Afghanistan
Schools: Hoover High (2008)
Military history: 75th Ranger Regiment
Date of death: Monday, September 13, 2021
Cemetery: Saint Peter’s, Fresno
Source: CBS 17, Chapel of Light, Military Times
Regina Christina Reali, age 25, from Fresno, California, Fresno county.
Service era: Iraq
Military history: Company B, 448Th Civil Affairs Battalion (Tf Baghdad), Fort Lewis, Wa
Date of death: Friday, December 23, 2005
Death details: Died when an explosive detonated near her vehicle in Baghdad, Iraq
Source: Department of Defense, Military Times
Jose Carlos Rangel, age 43, from Fresno, California, Fresno county.
Service era: Iraq
Military history: 1106Th Aviation Classification Repair Activity Depot, Fresno Ca
Date of death: Sunday, January 23, 2005
Death details: Camp Arifjan, Kuwait
Source: Department of Defense, Military Times
Joe Castro from Fresno, California, Fresno county.
Service era: Vietnam
Date of death: Saturday, April 12, 1975
Death details: Body recovered
Source: National Archives
Samuel Ryoichi Saito, age 20, from Fresno, California, Fresno county.
Parents: Leo R. Saito
Service era: Vietnam
Military history: Americal Division, 8th Air Cavalry
Date of death: Tuesday, November 24, 1970
Death details: Killed when he was struck by a rotor in escaping from the craft which cuaght fire after a crash landing.
Source: National Archives, Fresno Bee (1970)
Robert Beltran, age 21, from Fresno, California, Los Angeles county.
Parents: Salvador Beltran
Spouse: Sally Munoz
Children: Elizabeth, 6 months
Service era: Vietnam
Schools: Central Union High (1968)
Military history: 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile)
Date of death: Monday, October 12, 1970
Death details: Killed in Vietnam when his unit came under hostile fire.
Source: National Archives, Fresno Bee
John Marquez, age 28, from Fresno, California, Fresno county.
Service era: Vietnam
Schools: Edison High (1961`)
Date of death: Friday, May 29, 1970
Death details: Killed in action in Cambodia during a mortar attack
Source: National Archives, Fresno Bee (1970)
Michael Steven Jett, age 19, from Fresno, California, Fresno county.
Service era: Vietnam
Date of death: Saturday, May 23, 1970
Death details: Body recovered
Source: National Archives
Frank Hernandez, age 22, from Fresno, California, Fresno county.
Parents: Christino G. Hernandez
Service era: Vietnam
Schools: Roosevel High (1967), Fresno City College
Date of death: Wednesday, May 6, 1970
Death details: On May 6, 1970, a UH-1H Iroquois (tail number 68-15663, call sign “Smokey 2”) with a crew of four was part of a flight two helicopters laying a smoke screen on a landing zone near enemy positions in Quang Tri Province, South Vietnam. During the mission Smokey 2 suffered a mid-air collision with the other helicopter in the flight and crashed. Searchers at the crash site determined that no one could have survived the crash. They found the bodies of two of the crew members, but could not locate the other two. Specialist 4 Frank Sanchez Hernandez, who joined the U.S. Army from California, served with Company B, 158th Aviation Battalion, 101st Airborne Division. He was the door gunner aboard the Iroquois when it crashed, and his remains were not recovered. After the incident, the Army promoted SP4 Hernandez to the rank of Sergeant (SGT). Today Sergeant Hernandez is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. Based on all information available, DPAA assessed the individual’s case to be in the analytical category of Non-recoverable.
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Fresno Been (1970)
Charles Alan Pursell, age 20, from Fresno, California, Fresno county.
Parents: Floyd Pursell
Service era: Vietnam
Schools: Roosevelt High (1969)
Military history: 25th Infantry Division
Date of death: Friday, April 10, 1970
Death details: Killed in Vietnam while on a night patrol
Source: National Archives, Fresno Bee