Kevin Thomas Kolm, age 23, from Hicksville, New York, Nassau county.
Service era: Iraq
Military history: A Co, 3D Aabn, 1st Mar Div, Camp Pendleton, California
Date of death: Tuesday, April 13, 2004
Death details: Hostile; Al Anbar Province, Iraq
Source: Department of Defense, Military Times
James Edward Jr. Stolz, age 24, from Hicksville, New York, Nassau county.
Parents: James E. Stolz
Service era: Vietnam
Schools: Molloy High, graduate of Saint John’s College in Queens
Date of death: Wednesday, November 18, 1970
Death details: Died in a helicopter crash in South Vietnam
Source: National Archives, Evansville Courier & Press, grave marker, memorial in Haubstadt, Newsday (1970)
Stanley Jr. Wilenski, age 25, from Hicksville, New York, Nassau county.
Parents: Winifred B. Wilenski
Service era: Vietnam
Military history: 119th Aviation Company, 528th Aviation Battalion, 1st Aviation Brigade.
Date of death: Sunday, April 19, 1970
Death details: Killed in South Vietnam when enemy fire hit his plane and it crashed and burned.
Source: National Archives, Newsday (1970)
Robert Ernest Rausch, age 31, from Hicksville, New York, Nassau county.
Service era: Vietnam
Date of death: April 16, 1970
Death details:
On April 16, 1970, an RF-4C Phantom II (tail number 66-0409) with two crew members took off on a reconnaissance mission in the general vicinity of the tri-border area between Laos and North and South Vietnam. During the mission, the aircraft completed an in-flight refueling and reported to the Forward Air Controller that it was moving north to another target area. This was the last known transmission from the aircraft, and it failed to return to base. Searches were made along the flight path but were unsuccessful in locating either crew member.
Captain Robert Ernest Rausch entered the U.S. Air Force from New York and served in the 12th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron. He was the navigator aboard the RF-4C when it went missing and his remains were never recovered. After the incident, the Air Force promoted Captain Rausch to Major. Today, Major Rausch is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
Paul Douglas Walkowski, age 22, from Nassau County Hicksville, New York .
Parents: Mr. and Mrs. Bud Hannah
Service era: Vietnam
Date of death: Saturday, May 21, 1966
Death details: Non-hostile, South Vietnam; killed in an explosion while delivering a lecture on safety to troops in Vietnam.
Source: National Archives, Newsday (1966)
Wallace Edward Schaefer, age 19, from Nassau County Hicksville, New York .
Parents: Harold Edward Schaefer
Service era: World War II
Date of death: Thursday, October 15, 1942
Death details: On October 15, 1942, he was in a U.S. convoy of six ships that was towing barges loaded with urgently needed supplies toward Guadalcanal. The American forces on that island were in dire need of resupply. When the convoy was spotted by enemy aircraft, all but two ships withdrew from the area. The two ships that pressed on were the USS Meredith (DD-434,) a destroyer, and the USS Vireo (AM-54,) a lightly armed towing vessel. Upon receiving word that Japanese surface warships were operating in the area, both ships were forced to turn back from their mission. Because of its age and slow speed, Vireo was abandoned, and the crew taken aboard the Meredith. Within minutes, the Meredith was attacked by a large force of enemy aircraft. The destroyer sustained multiple bomb and torpedo hits and quickly sank. The survivors spent three days at sea before being rescued. The majority of the crews of both ships was killed in the incident.
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Newsday (1942)